Subtle Variations of Blue
by Queen Reverie
Summary: With her magic growing stronger by the day, it was not long before the Magical High Commission saw Star as a threat to their power. In order to save her daughter, Moon hands Star over to Eclipsa to start life anew, away from Mewni and away the commission's clutches. When she is found once more, Star must reconcile her two lives to finally put an end to the Monster-Mewman conflict.
1. A New Beginning

**It's been a long time since I've written a fic this long. This story is based heavily on the many different fan theories of season 3A (Festivia actually being Eclipsa's daughter, Toffee being her son, etc.). You don't need them all explained, you'll see them as you go. Though some time has passed, I thought it would still be fun to write about them.**

 **I would also like to point out that romance is NOT a listed genre in my story. This story will not contain any shipping or romantic plots.**

 **I think that's about it. Let's get started!**

 **Summary: With her magical abilities growing stronger by the day, it was not long before the Magical High Commission saw Star Butterfly as a threat to their power. In order to save her daughter, Moon hands Star over to Eclipsa to start life anew, away from Mewni and away the commission's clutches. When the Mewman princess is found once more, Star must reconcile her two lives and families to finally put an end to the Monster-Mewman conflict that has plagued the land for generations.**

* * *

Moon's heart began racing. Even as panic was spreading through every square inch of her, she maintained her cool demeanor, never letting slip her true thoughts. "What of Star?" she asked calmly as hundreds of possibilities ran through her mind. Though this was not the first time the commission had approached her about her daughter, this was the first time she had ever seen them do so with such seriousness. Something was wrong.

"She's becoming too powerful," Hekapoo swiftly and sharply responded. "She's been fraternizing with the Monsters. She read the forbidden chapter and has no doubt been tainted with dark magic. She's upsetting the balance of the magic in the universe. She's become...too much like Eclipsa."

"Eclipsa's trial will be coming soon. Star will see the error of Eclipsa's way and stop." Though she pleaded, Moon knew this was not true. She herself had been putting the evidence for Eclipsa's trial together and other than her cavorting into the night with a monster, she found it rather lacking. Documentation from three hundred years ago was hard to come by and no living witnesses remained; all she had was the testimonial evidence from the members of the commission. There was no way Star would be convinced Eclipsa was evil, regardless of whether she had turned her back to the kingdom. Being her stubborn, headstrong self, Star would continue to defend Eclipsa even as she was frozen once more and long after that. "And besides, Star has shown no signs of being corrupted by the forbidden chapter or dark magic."

"Eclipsa didn't show any signs at first either when she began experimenting with dark forces and look what happened to her," Omnitraxus responded this time. "Unfortunately, we can't take that chance. Star's already been using dark magic. We're sorry, Moon, but we can't have another Eclipsa. We can't have another Queen of Darkness. We can't have Monster love again. We have to get rid of her. We have to restore balance to the universe."

"So you want to freeze her then?" Moon continued wearing her diplomatic mask, hiding the sheer terror that was threatening to blow over from within her.

"No. As we've seen from Eclipsa, freezing is not a permanent solution," Hekapoo did not need to state her exact intentions for the young princess. She knew the Queen would be able to put two and two together. "We have to consider…other options."

"Very well. I understand," Moon lied through her teeth. Star may have been a little too friendly with the Monsters and Eclipsa, but she knew the girl was neither evil nor a threat. Even though, she could not openly fight the commission on this. If they took action without her present, it would blow her only opportunity to save her daughter.

"Good. Then we're all on the same page. Let's get going." Hekapoo sliced through the air with her scissors, opening a portal to Castle Butterfly.

Holding her head high, Moon stepped through the portal behind the others.

* * *

Brushing her hair as she hummed to herself, Star's eyes shifted to the blur that appeared above her reflection in the mirror. Turning around, she watched as her mother stepped out of the portal followed by the remainder of the Magical High Commission. "Hey, guys. What's going on?" she asked, noticing the strange look on her mother's face. She could not tell if her mother was worried, angry, or terrified. The fact the whole commission had come specifically to her bedroom was rather strange in itself.

As Hekapoo approached her, Star subconsciously reached for her wand laying on the vanity behind her, feeling a sudden need to defend herself. "Mom…" she looked to the silver-haired woman, her eyes giving a silent plea for help.

Before Moon could even reach out to Star, a strange dark glow suddenly enveloped her daughter.

"Oh no you don't!" Omnitraxus held his hand up, the appendage enveloped in the same dark glow that surrounded Star. He had seen Star attempting to grasp her wand and moved quickly, unwilling to give her the chance to fight back.

Moon watched in horror as Star seemed to abruptly disappear, leaving behind a rumpled pile of clothing in her place. Running over to the pile, she kneeled beside it and pulled the blue nightgown away, as if she would somehow find her daughter hiding under it. Much to her surprise, she did.

It was her daughter. Her daughter in infant form.

Panic and fear overwhelmed the Queen as Omnitraxus approached. She did not need any verbal warning of what the master of space-time intended to do. He was going to end her daughter. She could not let that happen.

Before Moon could even reach down to scoop the infant Star into her arms, a flash of light suddenly filled the room, momentarily blinding her.

"What's going on?!" Rhombulus cried out as dark smoke began permeating through the room.

"Eclipsa!" Moon shouted, catching a glimpse of the former Queen between the smokescreen. She had no idea why the woman was out and about in the castle when she should have been locked in the rose tower, but at that moment, she did not care. Star was her number one priority. Attempting to grab her daughter once more amid the chaos, she glanced down only to find the infant girl gone. She looked back up in horror, already having an inkling of where her beloved child would be.

Eclipsa held the young Star in her arms, smiling gently at the child as she playfully cooed to her. She paid no attention to the other occupants in the room, refusing to so much as even greet them or give them an acknowledging look.

"No!" Moon sprung forward, ready to snatch Star from the dark Queen's arms, but she was too late.

With another flash, Eclipsa was gone.

* * *

That night, all Moon could do was mourn and replay the day's events in her mind as she wandered the castle halls like a ghost, her long hair down and billowing about her. It had all happened in mere seconds. If only she had moved a little faster. If only she had fought back. If only she had done something, anything, she could have been holding Star in her arms right now.

But what good would that have done, really? Even if she had stopped Eclipsa, she never had a plan for saving Star from the Magical High Commission. She was not strong enough to fight the three other members on her own and it was clear there would be no compromising with them.

Immediately after Eclipsa's disappearance with Star, the entire kingdom had been put on alert in search of the fugitive former Queen. Even if Eclipsa and Star had been found, Moon would have been in the same predicament: What could she have done to save Star? She had not felt this helpless since the day her mother died.

With the council gone and herself finally alone, Moon allowed the tears to flow freely as she walked down the halls of the castle. Lost and without direction, she headed to Star's room. Opening the door, she froze at the sight before her.

Sitting on Star's bed was Eclipsa with the bundled princess sound asleep in her arms.

Moon could only stand motionless in the doorway as she tried to process the scene in front of her, unsure if it were real or if her grief-stricken mind were merely trying to comfort her with false images.

"Don't just stand there!" Eclipsa practically ordered, snapping the other woman out of her shock. "Come hold your daughter!"

Moon did not need to be told twice. She immediately rushed over and scooped Star out of Eclipsa's arms as she wiped the tears from her face. She brought the infant close to her, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Oh, my goodness," she spoke to no one in particular, "what have they done to you?"

It was clear what Omnitraxus Prime had done. He had used his space-time abilities to revert Star back to a much younger version of herself. Perhaps the better question she should have been asking was 'why?' Why would anyone see her innocent girl as evil? Why would anyone want to harm her sweet, selfless daughter? Especially now, looking at her unable to even stand on her own. How could the Magical High Commission believe she would ever be a threat to Mewni or the universal balance?

Moon suddenly grabbed Eclipsa and pulled her into a tight embrace with one arm, using the other to hold Star close to her chest. "Thank you." She held the green-haired woman for several minutes before pulling away to look down at her daughter's round face.

Moon was overjoyed as she held Star to her chest and gently rocked her back and forth, but her happiness was short-lived. Though she was delighted to be reunited with her daughter, she knew it was only temporary. She could not keep her here. She would not be able to hide Star in the castle forever. The Magical High Commission was still out looking for her and the moment word slipped to them Star was found, it would be all over.

Feeling as though she were ripping her own actual heart out, Moon pulled Star away from her chest and held her out to Eclipsa. "Take her."

Though Eclipsa knew her taking Star would be the only way to save the princess, she still could not bear to see Moon so distraught over it. It took her back to her first meeting with the woman, in which Moon had approached her as nothing more than a child grieving for her lost mother. Now she stood before her a mother grieving for the child she was about to lose. "Moon..." Eclipsa placed a hand on her shoulder as if she could somehow comfort the Queen in this time of grief.

"I can't keep her here, she will be killed," the heartbreak was evident in both Moon's voice and eyes as she spoke. "Take her...and raise her as your own. Away from the kingdom, away from the Magical High Commission's grasp, and...away from me." Though she was not too fond of Eclipsa, Moon found herself left with no choice in the matter. There was no one else she could turn to. At least with Eclipsa, Star stood a chance of surviving. With her, she was doomed.

Moon's love for her daughter greatly surpassed her dislike and distrust of Eclipsa as she allowed the former Queen to take Star from her outstretched arms. In that moment, she felt nothing but gratitude and joy towards Eclipsa.

Quickly scanning the room, Moon's eyes landed on the wand resting on Star's dresser. Picking up the priceless Butterfly heirloom, she walked it over to Eclipsa, holding it out to her. "Take this. Use it to keep Star safe. Give it to her when it comes time again."

"I will." Adjusting the infant princess in her arms so she could carry her with only one, Eclipsa accepted the wand. She watched as the wand morphed in her grasp from Star's short scepter into her parasol.

"And this." Moon handed over her pair of dimensional scissors next. If Eclipsa ever found herself cornered or caught with Star, she would at least stand some chance of escaping if she could portal her way out.

Eclipsa accepted the pair as well, tucking it away into the back of her dress.

Standing in silence, Moon gazed wistfully at Star. This was really good-bye. She tried to hold it back, but a sob escaped her lips as she collapsed to her knees in grief. She did not care about anything anymore. Not her appearance as Queen, not her familial birthright, not her throne, not her kingdom, and certainly not her role as head of the Magical High Commission. She would trade it all away in a heartbeat if it meant being able to keep her beloved daughter with her.

Eclipsa sympathetically knelt to the ground beside Moon, gently reassuring her of her decision. "Don't worry, Moon. It's going to be alright. I will keep her safe. Star will be okay. This is the right decision."

Her pale hair flew all about as Moon threw her arms around Eclipsa once more. The two shared in another embrace for several more minutes as Eclipsa stroked Moon's hair, soothing her as if she were a young child approaching her for help once more.

Suddenly pulling away, Moon firmly grabbed both of Eclipsa's shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes. "I need you to hit me."

"...what?"

"The commission will wonder where the wand and my scissors went. I need you to strike me. I need you to make them believe we fought and that I did not simply hand them over."

Eclipsa nodded in understanding. "Allow me to apologize for this beforehand." She twirled her parasol wand in her hand as she readied a magic blast.

Moon shut her eyes and placed her hands in her lap, bracing for the impact.

* * *

Moon lay on the floor, unconscious. She was in a nasty condition as bruises covered her body and a swollen black eye limited her vision. Star's bedroom was completely destroyed. The furniture was smashed into unrecognizable pieces, strewn all about the room and the room itself had taken structural damage as holes and cracks could be found in various places on the walls. A breeze was flowing into the room from the shattered window.

Having passed out after Eclipsa's first attack, Moon did not see or feel the Queen of Darkness continue her barrage.

When she woke up, she found a horrified River and shocked Magical High Commission standing above her. "Eclipsa…" she spoke through the pain she was glad to be feeling, "she came for the wand. She took it. I couldn't stop her."

* * *

The commission kept their search for Star and Eclipsa going for a week before making their decision: They would announce to the world Star Butterfly was dead. There was no doubt in their mind the Queen of Darkness held a grudge against them and the royal family for being frozen for three centuries. They figured if they had not found her at this point, the young princess was unlikely to still be alive, having been killed by Eclipsa or the Monsters in an act of revenge against the royal family. Not that that was a problem for the commission. Star's death was just another item they could cross off their to-do list.

Moon was more than ready to make the announcement; regardless of the fact she knew it was not true. The more people who thought Star was dead, the better. It would mean less people pursuing her and compromising her safety. The search for Eclipsa was still alive and well, but Moon had faith the former Queen would be able to remain hidden, or at the very least be able to stand her ground against the Magical High Commission if found.

River was absolutely devastated to hear of Star's death. His usual jolly spirit was crushed. For the past few days, he could often be found wandering the kingdom with a sullen look on his face and tears running down his cheeks.

Though Moon wanted so desperately to ease her husband's grief, she knew she could not. She could not tell anyone of what had actually become of Star. All it took was one accidental leak, one whisper, and Star could be found. She loved her husband, but she had to allow him to believe Star was truly dead in order to save their daughter. She knew that he would have made the same decision had he been in her shoes. He would have done anything to protect his child. All she could do was comfort him and give him the time he needed to come to terms with the news.

* * *

That evening as Moon prepared to lock herself in her study for the night, she found something amiss. The top drawer in her desk had been left slightly open. Being the perfectionist she was, she would never have left it like that.

Someone had been through her study.

Rushing over to see if anything had been taken, Moon was rather surprised to find the opposite. At the very top of the papers in the drawer was a folded note with her name, written in crisp, smooth calligraphy on it. Opening the paper, Moon found not a written note, but a well-drawn map.

The map clearly detailed a path between Castle Butterfly and the main walking route of the Forest of Certain Death before veering off into the more unexplored parts of the forest.

Moon did not know what waited for her where the path stopped, but if someone went out of their way to leave the map where she could find it, they must have really wanted her to go.

Leaving her study and quickly making her way over to her room, Moon removed her black mourning dress and let her hair down into a single braid. Donning her cloak, she pulled the hood over her head and headed out.

* * *

Moon pulled her cloak from yet another tangle of bushes as she followed along the path laid out by the map. While she had been through the forest multiple times, she had never ventured off the main path before. Very few people were bold or strong enough to do so. The forest did not get its name for no reason. Thankfully, she had not yet run into any dangerous creatures or plants, but she was not about to let her guard down.

With the foliage being as thick as it was, she found herself having to dismount from her warnicorn once the path was no longer of any use to her. After nearly an hour's worth of walking, assuming she had been reading the map properly, she would be at her destination very shortly.

She knew she had arrived when she finally stepped into a small clearing and found herself greeted by quite a strange sight. Before her, hidden away in the dark forest, was a small cottage. It seemed so out of place but so welcoming at the same time. The soil near the entrance looked freshly turned, as if someone had only recently planted a garden there. A light coming from the window let Moon know someone was home.

Approaching the structure cautiously, Moon knocked on the door.

The door immediately flung open, revealing a delighted Eclipsa carrying an infant Star. "Moon, you came!" The short woman greeted the surprised Queen with a hug before grabbing her arm and pulling her into the house.

Shocked at this revelation and still trying to process what was going on, Moon took in her surroundings. The inside of the cottage was just as cozy and welcoming as the outside. There was only a small kitchen and living room area on the first floor with a staircase that must have led to the bedrooms upstairs.

Eclipsa ushered Moon over into the living area and all but pushed her into the couch before placing Star in her arms. She could not hide the smile on her face as she watched Moon gently lift Star to her face and held her forehead to hers. Being a parent herself, Eclipsa knew how strong the love a mother held for her daughter could be. She was delighted to see the woman smile and play with the little girl.

Moon was bursting with joy as she played with Star, who looked healthy and well taken care of. Her smile soon faded as she cooed to her daughter, knowing very well she should not be here. "Eclipsa…" she began somberly, "I appreciate this, but...I think it would be best if I stayed away from Star."

"What makes you say that?" Eclipsa frowned at the thought. Moon may not have been the perfect parent, but she knew she loved Star and would do anything for the girl. Keeping the two apart would only lead to heartbreak for the Queen.

"I think it would be best for Star's safety. I wouldn't want anything to happen to her because someone might one day follow me. Star was very fond of you. I think she will be much better off here with you as her mother, rather than me."

Eclipsa took a seat beside Moon, placing her hand on the other woman's in understanding and assurance. "Moon, you can still be a part of her life. It's understandable you're worried and frightened for her, but I promise you, as long as Star is in our care, no harm will come to her. Don't you want to see Star grow up...again?"

Moon chuckled lightly. If Star was going to be stuck like this, she would at least want to have the chance to watch her grow up once more. The light smile on her face slowly faded once more as another thought crossed her mind. "You say 'our' care. Are your other children…?"

"Yes, Toffee and Meteora do reside with me here. We built this place together while you were preparing for my trial. We've been here for some weeks now. It's no Monster Temple or Castle Butterfly, but I still love it." Eclipsa could see the worry that spread across Moon's face when she had mentioned Toffee. Toffee had detailed his rather unpleasant past with both Moon and Star to her. It was understandable Moon would fear him being near the girl. "We have no interest in the affairs of Mewni," she tried to reassure the woman. "We built this place here in the forest, away from everything else because all we wanted was to be a family and to be left alone. Meteora and Toffee have been helping me with Star. They absolutely adore her."

While Moon was still not entirely comfortable with the idea of Toffee and Meteora, two people who had tried to come after her daughter before, hanging around the girl, she felt Eclipsa's words held some kernel of truth. The fact Star was still around after a week was at least proof to her the two were at the very least willing to tolerate the princess' presence. Giving her daughter one more kiss, Moon handed her over to Eclipsa. "I should be going. If I am not back before dawn, people will begin wondering where I am."

Eclipsa accepted the bundled girl who was just about ready to fall asleep once more. "You know where to find us. She's your daughter, Moon. Come visit her every now and then."

"I will. Thank you."

* * *

 **I'm really excited to be writing again. I hope you all liked it will be here with me for the next chapter soon.**

 **Review please!**


	2. Happy Birthday

**I'm visiting with my parents and their flat iron broke. RIP my hair.**

* * *

 _Fourteen Years Later_

* * *

Silently slipping through the cover of the trees, Star perched herself amid the branches. She was perfectly hidden, but still had a clear line of sight to her target. Standing completely still, she watched as her target scanned the area, no doubt searching for her. "Surprise attack!" she shouted as she leapt from her hiding spot, trying to take advantage of the fact her opponent had turned his back to her.

Toffee turned swiftly to the source of the shout, holding his hand out to catch Star's fist, stopping her forward momentum. Trapping her hand in his, he quickly took a hold of her other fist as she attempted to throw a blow his way with it.

Her arms trapped, Star pushed off the ground into a jump. Curling her legs to her torso, she suddenly kicked them forward, striking Toffee right in his chest.

Wincing momentarily, Toffee released the young girl's hands as he was forcefully pushed away.

Propelling herself off the lizard, Star flipped in the air, sliding into a landing. Wasting no time, she immediately began charging head-first towards Toffee.

Toffee simply stood calmly as Star approached. Waiting until the girl was no more than a foot away, he stepped to the side and held out his foot.

Having already built so much momentum, Star found she was unable to stop in time. Next thing she knew, she was sliding face-first in the dirt, having tripped over Toffee's outstretched foot. "Hey, that's not fair!"

"All's fair on the battlefield, Star." Toffee reached down and helped the girl to her feet, brushing off some of the debris that had caught in her hair. "And what have I told you about announcing your surprise attacks? It's not really a surprise if your opponent knows it's coming."

Star only shrugged in response, a huge smile spread across her face.

"You came charging right at me. What was your plan?"

"I dunno, I was just going to try and knock you off your feet, I guess," she responded happily, her thoughts not quite in tune with Toffee's. All she could think about was what she would be doing for the rest of the day.

"Star, I have claws. If we had really been fighting, I could have simply torn you to shreds. You were running at me unarmed and wide open. You weren't even able to stop yourself in time to avoid my leg, how would you have been able to avoid a full on attack?"

"Oh, I'm sure I would have figured something out."

This was going nowhere. Toffee knew Star was too excited about today being her birthday to actually focus on what he was saying. Not that she did on any other day, really. "All right, I think we've trained enough for one day. Why don't we head back? I'm sure mother will have woken by now."

Star did not need to be told twice. She took off in a flash, bouncing through the forest as she made her way back to the cottage. The house was not that far from where they were and she knew the woods like the back of her hand.

Watching her leave, Toffee wished Star would take their sparring sessions a little more seriously, but he could not fault her for not doing so. She was living a carefree life, shielded away from anything that could harm her. She knew nothing about Mewni, the Magical High Commission, her former life, or her royal lineage. She had no idea what would be waiting for her if she were to ever be found.

To her, these sessions were all just a game. While she was actually not too bad a fighter, Star could never seem to take anything he told her earnestly. She had never faced a real threat in her life, had no reason to believe she ever would, and without knowledge of her past, she had no reason to believe the possibility even existed. He worried if Star were to ever face a true threat, she would be taken down rather easily, not realizing there were people beyond the forest who would genuinely want to harm her.

Moving at a much more leisurely pace, Toffee followed Star's path as he began the short trek back home.

* * *

"Happy birthday, my love!" Eclipsa squeezed Star with all her might as she embraced the girl. "My baby girl is growing up so fast! I just can't bear to watch!" she lamented playfully.

"Mom!" Star responded with an equally playful drawn-out whine as she wriggled her way out of her mother's grasp. "You say that every year!"

"I see you've been having fun today," Eclipsa remarked at the condition of Star's dress. She figured Toffee must have taken Star out when she found neither of them in the home that morning. "Why don't you go get changed? Moon should be here fairly soon."

Eclipsa was glad to see Star excitedly rush upstairs to change before their guest arrived. The Mewman Queen came over about three or four times a year, always being sure to visit on Star's birthday. Though Star never recognized Moon as her biological mother, the girl was always happy to see her come over. Moon was the only visitor they ever received in their home.

Eclipsa knew today was a particularly anxious day for Moon, it being the day Star would be receiving the magic wand once more. With how big of an ordeal it was to pass on the Butterfly heirloom, she had made a point to wait until Moon arrived before actually transferring ownership of the wand to Star. She knew the girl's biological mother would want to witness the event, even if she would not be the one actually handing the wand over.

A knock on the door announced Moon's arrival.

Star came sliding down the staircase in a clean pink sundress with her hair freshly brushed, held out of her face with a similarly colored ribbon. Jumping off when she reached the end, she raced to the door and threw it open. "Hi, Moon!" she greeted, genuinely happy to see the older woman in the doorway.

"Hello, Star," Moon responded, a soft smile on her face. She wore her usual travel outfit, all covered by her dark cloak. Her long silver hair was held back in a singular braid with her crown noticeably missing from her ensemble. It was an intentional choice, one she made among many in order to shield Star from her own past. As far as Star was aware, she was just another resident of the forest.

Moon knelt down and enveloped the girl in a long-awaited hug. "Happy birthday, dear." She was glad to finally be able to hold her daughter in her arms once more, even if only for a short time. "Come, let me have a look at you." Pulling away from the hug, she took Star's face into her hands, turning it left and right. The girl looked exactly as she did the night she was taken away from her. That was no surprise really, since Star was only a year younger now than when it happened, but it was still somehow eerie to the Queen.

"Look at you, I can't believe how much you've grown," Moon spoke, her voice filled with a sadness Star could not quite place. It was a touching, yet heartbreaking, process to watch Star grow up again; even more painful as she had to do so from afar. She would be lying if she said it did not hurt to hear Star call her by her first name rather than 'mom,' but at least she could take comfort in the fact the girl was happy, healthy, and doing just fine with Eclipsa and her new family.

"Here," Moon broke her train of upsetting thoughts, handing the girl a wrapped tray, "I made you some corn cake to celebrate. I know how much you love it."

"Aww, thank you so much!" Star graciously accepted the treat, stepping out of the way so Eclipsa could come to the door.

"So glad you could join us, Moon!" Eclipsa ushered the Queen into the small kitchen after a quick embrace, just as happy as her adoptive daughter to have her over. "Come, let me make you a cup of tea."

"Thank you." Before Moon could take a seat at the small round-table, she felt a tugging on her arm.

"Moon, come here, come here!" Star pulled at Moon's wrist, trying to lead her to the stairs. "I want to show you something!"

Smiling, Moon allowed herself to be dragged up the stairs by the eager teen. She was pulled through the upstairs hallway, which in itself was quite small. It was a single, short hall with four doors: one on the left, two on the right, and one directly in front of them at the end.

Star opened the door to the left, revealing the room she shared with Eclipsa.

Moon had been in this room plenty of times before. The cottage, originally being built to house only three people, did not have a spare room for Star. Star never seemed to mind not having her own space and was more than happy to be sharing a room with Eclipsa. She had made a habit out of also sharing Toffee or Meteora's rooms on occasion as well.

Looking at the shared room, one would almost think it was split perfectly in half. Eclipsa had the left side where the bed was meticulously made with not a wrinkle in sight. The floor was spotless and the clothes were put away neatly in the closet and drawers. Star's half looked as if a tornado had recently passed through. The bed was unmade with sheets and blankets falling to the floor. Her clothes were strewn about all over the place as well as a few of her other belongings.

"Star, when are you going to clean this place?" Moon asked with a raised eyebrow. She had watched Star's side of the room transform over the years from a nursery, to a child's room, to a teenager's room, but one thing had never changed. It was always a mess. And the same answer always awaited her when she asked.

"I'll get around to it soon." Star shoved some of the mess under her bed in an effort to make the room seem cleaner. She scurried over to the window in between the two beds, throwing it open with a push. "This is what I wanted you to see!"

The tree immediately outside the window was covered in white blossoms, giving off a beautiful, soft pale glow.

"Isn't it great?" Star asked Moon as she joined her at the window sill.

"It's lovely," Moon answered, admiring the sight. She wrapped her arm around Star's shoulder and pulled her close.

Though these trips always worried her, she was still glad to be able to make the occasional visit. When Star was still just an infant, the visits were mostly just to see the girl and chat with Eclipsa. Other than feeding her and rocking her, there was not much Moon could do with her at the time. As Star got older, the visits slowly transitioned into playdates of sorts. She would get on the floor with the little girl and play with her dolls, have pretend tea parties, or whatever activity the young Star wanted to do. As Star entered her tween and teen years, the visits became more of a time for the two women to talk. With Star being older, Moon was able to take her out of the cottage and walk through the forest. They would forage for fruit if it was the right season or sometimes Star would take her to meet her 'friends,' a group comprised of the native wildlife of the forest.

"Alright," Moon began, "tell me everything that's happened since I was last here."

Star wasted no time going through the previous months' events for Moon. Without taking a single breath she excitedly told the woman about her lessons with Meteora, her training sessions with Toffee, the new animals she had seen in the forest, her current forest friends, how excited she was to get the wand, a new oil Eclipsa had bought her to use on her hair, and so many other things, only stopping to greet Toffee when he passed by the open door.

"Hello, Moon," Toffee greeted the Queen in his usual stoic voice after addressing Star.

"Hello, Toffee," Moon responded politely. While her relationship with Toffee was still rather stiff and strained, she had made somewhat of an effort to be more open with the lizard for Star's sake.

The first time Moon had ever seen Toffee with Star, her heart had nearly stopped. Toffee had been carrying Star, who was three at the time, down the stairs to come see her. Her daughter, her precious child, the light of her life, was in the arms of the man, the Monster, who took her own mother from this world and almost took the very child in his arms.

She had no reason to be shocked. She knew Toffee was living in the home with Eclipsa and interacted with Star on a daily basis, but seeing her in his arms in that moment made Moon truly realize just how close he was to her little girl and how easily he could dispose of her. It had taken every ounce of her willpower to push the intrusive thought from her head and not rush over to tear Star from his arms.

Though her fears over Toffee eased with the years, it was still a strange sight for her: seeing an energetic and happy Star delighted to be around the cold and emotionless Toffee. Star adored him, even from a young age. It was no surprise really, since she had grown up believing he was her brother and spent every day of her life with him.

While Toffee himself was not an affectionate man, Moon could tell he had a soft spot for Star. It was the little things that gave it away: a ruffle of Star's hair as she ran past, a pat on her back as she latched onto him for a hug, asking the girl if she was hungry, agreeing to train her so she could defend herself if the need ever arose. Though he never outright said it, it was clear he had grown to care deeply for the girl.

The rattling of silverware could be heard as Eclipsa made her way up the stairs, balancing three cups of tea and three slices of Moon's corn cake on a tray. Stepping into the room, she set the tray down on the window sill, placing a teacup and slice of cake in front of Moon and Star before standing at the window with them. "I see Star has shown you our little treasure." She sighed softly, gazing at the view. "I just love it."

Star wasted no time digging into the treat. She loved all foods corn and only got to eat them when Moon came for visits. One day she had to remember to ask the woman where she got it from. She could never seem to find any corn in the forest.

"Chew your food, Star. At this rate, you're going to choke," Eclipsa chided the girl in between sips of her tea.

"It's really good, I can't help it!"

Moon was delighted to see Star enjoying the pastry so much. She had made a point of preparing any food she brought for the girl herself, just to give it that extra personal touch. She could not give her daughter a perfect world or a perfect life, but at least she could give her momentary joy in her favorite treat. Still smiling, she picked up her own fork and cut a piece from her slice.

* * *

"Alright," Eclipsa held the magic wand, which was currently in the form of her parasol, in her outstretched hands, "are you ready to receive the wand, Star?"

"Yes!" Star eagerly cried, her hair bobbing up and down with each excited bounce she took. It felt like she had been waiting for this day forever.

"Now, this is a big responsibility, Star," The Queen of Darkness continued along the usual lecture given to Butterfly princesses when they first received the priceless family heirloom. "If it falls into the wrong hands, the universe could be in grave danger."

Moon hid her smile behind her hand, trying her best not to laugh. It was clear Star was not paying the least bit of attention to what Eclipsa was saying. It was nothing more than a repeat of the first time the girl had received the wand.

Giving up, Eclipsa held the wand out to the giddy teen. "Just try not to hurt yourself with it."

Star grabbed the wand, watching in amazement as it changed from her mother's parasol to a rounded mini-lavender scepter with small white wings sprouting from the back. This was not her first time using the wand as Eclipsa had taught her a few simple spells and the basics of magic already, but this was the first time she was handed it to do as she pleased. She took off in a flash, shooting blasts of magical energy left and right with reckless abandon.

Fully expecting this to happen, Eclipsa had used her scissors to transport the three of them to an uninhabited dimension where Star could try out her wand to her heart's delight without the risk of damage to anything or anyone. She and Moon were seated along the dimension's coast line, watching the ocean waves falling and crashing. Star had run off into the tropical forest behind them, laughing as she continued experimenting with the wand.

The atmosphere was quite serene as Moon closed her eyes, taking a deep breath of ocean air. It was quite warm on this dimension, a stark contrast to Mewni which was just about to experience its stormy season. The combination of the sun's rays on her skin, the soothing breeze, and her daughter's laughter in the background made her wish she could stay in the moment forever.

"You know, Moon, you should come over more. Star really looks forwards to your visits."

The Mewman Queen had been anticipating the line. Eclipsa always requested she visit more often when the time was getting close for her to leave. In an ideal world, Moon would visit every day. Unfortunately, this was not such a world. Too many trips to the Forest of Certain Death would raise suspicions. If anyone followed her, they would realize what was actually hiding in the forest and compromise Star's safety once more.

"You know I can't do that," Moon insisted. "The risk is too great. I really shouldn't be coming here at all, it's selfish of me." Her heart hurt for her little girl; a hurt she tried to heal by visiting, seeing, and holding Star in her arms when she could. Though she was glad to see and know the girl looked forward to her visits, she knew she was mostly just doing it for herself and her own heartache. She knew it would have been best for her to simply stay away completely.

"Be selfish then," Eclipsa responded. She knew she should have been more firm in insisting Moon visit, but she could not force the Queen to come if she did not want to. Having experienced losing both her daughters, Eclipsa knew how emotionally devastating the experience could be. If she could save Moon from a pain no physical wound could compare to, she would. "No mother should be without her child."

"You are her mother now, Eclipsa. She calls you 'Mom,' not me. I'm just the occasional guest." Star had a good life with the green-haired woman and her other children. Eclipsa, Toffee, and Meteora had done a lot for her by raising her daughter when she could not and for that Moon was eternally grateful. Though she was the only visitor to the hidden home, Moon knew the three of them regularly took Star out to other dimensions so she could socialize with other kids her age. They cooked for her, cared for her when she was ill, and kept her safe. Now that Star had the wand, Eclipsa herself would be teaching her magic as neither the spell book nor Glossaryck were available.

Eclipsa gently set her hand on Moon's in a comforting manner. "You are always among family here."

Both women suddenly leapt up as a loud explosion resonated from behind them. Turning around, they saw Star running towards them as massive flames began engulfing the forest.

"Star, what happened?" Moon asked, eyes wide in shock at the sight before her. While Star had done some serious damage with the wand in Mewni her first time around with it, she had never managed something like this.

"I don't know! I was just messing around and...this happened!" Star held the wand out to Eclipsa, "Fix it, please!"

Failing to realize Star was offering the wand to Eclipsa and not her, Moon swiped it from her daughter's grasp. "Torrential rains!" She shouted, holding it up towards the inferno as a geyser of water came bursting from the wand.

Moon maneuvered the spray around and through the blaze until the flames were gone, leaving behind only the charred remains of burned trees and rising plumes of smoke.

"That was amazing! I didn't know you could use magic!" Star looked up to Moon with a huge smile on her face. The only other person she had ever seen use magic was Eclipsa, and even then it was mostly simple stuff, nothing cool like that!

Moon froze. She should not have done that. She never wanted Star to know she was capable of magic. It would have only led to more questions from the girl; questions she would not have been able to answer without spilling the truth to her.

"Star, your dress! And Meteora just made this for you!" Eclipsa knelt down to examine the damage to the light pink dress. The garment was singed all around on the hem, darkened with ash, and clearly unsalvageable. "Oh well," she sighed, "at least you're safe. That's the important part."

"I think I've had enough magic for today." Star sheepishly pulled the worst of the dress behind her as she overlooked the now barren coast. "I'm ready to go home."

* * *

"Are you leaving?" Star asked Moon as they entered the cozy dwelling, clearly upset at the thought.

"Unfortunately, yes." Moon smiled sweetly to the girl, trying to smooth down her blonde hair which was now a complete mess as a result of her earlier magical fiasco.

"You'll come and visit again soon, won't you?" Star asked hopefully. She hated the long waits between Moon's visits.

"Of course she will!" Eclipsa interjected before Moon could respond. "But you'd better say your goodbye now. I think you have somewhere else to be."

"Star!" Meteora gasped from the top of the stairs. "What happened?! You're a mess!"

Star quickly wrapped her arms around Moon's waist. "Bye, Moon! Teach me that spell next time, okay?" Turning away, she quickly dashed to the kitchen, attempting to make her escape through the backdoor. Her plan was foiled when a set of arms grabbed her shoulders, pulling her back towards the stairs.

"You're not going anywhere like that, young lady! Straight to the bath with you!" Meteora guided Star up the stairs as the girl jokingly pleaded for her release.

Once the two were out of sight, Eclipsa turned her attention back to Moon. "Don't worry," she reassured her, already knowing the anxiety the accidental reveal was causing her, "she'll forget all about it soon enough."

"I hope so…"

"You know the way here, Moon. You're welcome anytime." Eclipsa embraced Moon one last time.

Moon returned the gesture. "Thank you."

* * *

 **We're kicking things off next chapter, so hope to see you then.**

 **Review please!**


	3. Found

**Food poisoning sucks. Why is life pain?**

* * *

"Star, pay attention please," Meteora scolded the girl for the umpteenth time that hour. "We're never going to get through today's lesson at this rate."

Star sighed as she slumped further in her chair. Her chin hit the bottom of her book as she slid below the table, causing it to flip over and cover her face with its open pages. She hated math with a fiery passion. She had no idea why she had to sit through these lessons; it was not like she ever used any of this anyways. But no, her mother and siblings all insisted that it was very important she got an education so she would be 'well rounded.'

To be fair, she did enjoy some of her lessons. Star loved playing the guitar with her mother and looked forward to her music lessons. She also rather enjoyed literature, but that was mostly because she was always able to talk Meteora into reading to her at the end. Her lessons in magic with her mother were her favorite by far, even though they had just barely begun.

Lifting the book off her head so she could peak through the pages, Star caught a glimpse of her wand resting just to the right of her. Sneaking a peek at Meteora, she saw the woman distracted, reading aloud from the textbook in her hands. Using her sister's inattention to her advantage, she quickly threw the book off her head and swiped the wand off the table.

"Star, what are-"

"Sparkling glitter-bomb blast!"

The wand lit up, expelling a massive cloud of pink smoke and fine glitter that quickly filled the room.

Her plan a success, Star used the smokescreen to make her escape. She quickly jumped over her chair and made a mad dash towards the exit. She kicked the front door open and continued sprinting away, looking behind her to see the pink vapors dissipating out the door.

Too distracted by the effects of her spell, Star never noticed the two figures directly in front of her. Colliding suddenly, she found herself flat on her back, staring up at Toffee and Eclipsa.

"What did you do?" Toffee asked without missing a beat. He could see the last bits of smoke leaving the cottage and the spray of glitter that was left behind. There was no question as to who was at fault.

"What? Me? No - I - I would never!" Star tried hiding her wand behind her back as if she could somehow shift the blame elsewhere.

Meteora stepped out from the dwelling, covered from head to toe in pink dust and glitter. "Star!" she called out, clearly upset, "get back here this instant, young lady!"

Eclipsa covered her mouth to give the appearance she was upset, but mostly to hide the fact she had a ridiculous smile on her face. The whole scene was absolutely hilarious. Seeing Star experiment with magic reminded her of her own first disastrous attempts with the wand. Suppressing her laughter, she turned to her younger daughter. "Star, is this your doing?"

"Yes…" the blonde girl sheepishly admitted. It was not like she would have been able to hide it anyways.

When Eclipsa had gone for her morning stroll with Toffee, she had left Star behind with Meteora to get the day's lessons out of the way. Star had pulled one a many crazy stunts in the past to get out of her book work, so it was not hard to figure out why she had done this. "Well then, I think your point is well made. Let's skip the books for today."

"Really?" Star asked hopefully.

"Yes. Because you're going to spend that time cleaning the place up instead. You made the mess after all. Fair is fair." Eclipsa knew Star had likely never intended to cause such mayhem with her spell. This was the first time she had cast it after all. It was impossible for her to know what the effects would be, but she was not going to miss the opportunity to teach Star a very important lesson in magic. Sometimes spells had unintended consequences. She would much prefer the girl learn that lesson by being forced to clean the house rather than suffer a physical injury or more serious loss because she was casting spells willy-nilly with no real thought.

Star could not argue with that. With an audible sigh, she turned around, trodding her way back to the glittery mess.

* * *

After several hours spent sweeping, mopping, dusting, and a new 'no magic inside the house' rule, Star was finally able to practice with the wand in peace outside, though still supervised.

Toffee sat near the entrance of the home with a book, alternating between reading and making sure Star did not accidentally set herself on fire.

"Cupcake blast!" Star pointed her wand towards an opening amongst the forest branches, watching in delight as dozens of cupcakes flew from her wand into the darkness. Her delight turned to worry as several small creatures and insects came crawling out from the brush, clearly upset at having their homes disturbed. "Oh, I'm sorry," she rushed over in apology as if they could somehow understand her. Her worry turned to delight once more when the creatures realized they had been disturbed with food. She watched as they hurried to pick up as many of the pastries as possible before scurrying back to their nests. "You're welcome!" she sang, certain their clicks and squeaks were words of thanks.

Returning back to her spot in the center of the clearing, she held her wand up once more. "Rainbow blast!" She followed the blast with her eyes until it hit a tree directly, knocking it to the ground. She knew she was going to be using this spell often; it was absolutely gorgeous! And deadly!

A wicked smile spread across her face as another, more sinister spell came to mind. "Cataclysmic total extinction death bla-"

"Star!"

Said girl stopped in her tracks, wand still held up high and ready to strike.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" It amazed Toffee that Star had not managed to accidentally kill herself in her first life. He was starting to realize why Moon had to send her to another dimension to learn magic.

Star frowned even though she knew he was right. She did not get why he was so worried. All of these spells were coming so easily to her, almost like she already knew them from somewhere. Ready to try another spell, she lifted her wand. "Sparkle kitten fireworks shower!"

A shower of twinkling lights and small felines came raining from the sky. As soon as the kittens hit the ground, they took off running in different directions through the forest.

"Wait, no, kitties! Come back!" Star took off after them, worried about what would happen to them if they ran across a hungry forest-dwelling creature.

"Don't stray too far!" Toffee called after her without lifting his head from his book.

* * *

After nearly a half hour of searching, Star had managed to catch and return to the wand all but one of the kittens. "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty," she called as she pushed yet another curtain of vines out of her way. Her face lit up when she finally found it sitting right in the middle of the forest's main path, giving itself a bath. Slowly creeping closer towards the path with her wand in hand, she kept her steps light as air as not to alert the animal to her presence.

Reaching the edge of the path, she gave a booming war cry as she leapt forward, successfully snatching the kitten off the ground. "Buh-bye, kitty," she bid it farewell as she held it over her wand. A pink aura surrounded the kitten before it was suddenly zapped back inside the magical scepter.

"Star?"

The girl froze when she heard her name called. She did not recognize the voice. Turning to see who was behind her, Star found three strange figures standing on the main path.

The first was a short pale woman with long, flowing red hair that darkened at the tips, held back by a black band. She wore a small black crown of some kind with horns protruding from her head and a lit flame floating just between them. To the woman's right was a strange floating skull, surrounded by a glowing cosmic energy and drifting lights, almost resembling stars. To the woman's left was a peculiar teal creature with a large crystal for a face and snakes for hands.

They seemed familiar to Star, but still somehow frightened her. Something deep within her was telling her to run and not look back. "Who are you? How do you know my name?" she asked worriedly as she backed away, holding the wand up in front of her as a clear sign she was not afraid to use it.

"I don't think she remembers us," the large galaxy-creature said, though that fact was rather obvious.

"She has the wand," the fiery woman spoke in a more aggressive tone. She pointed an accusatory finger at Star. "Where did you get that from?"

Star was shaking. She had no idea who the woman was or what she was capable of, but it was clear she was not happy with her. All her life she had been warned against coming near the forest path or speaking to any passing travelers. She usually never ventured this far away from home on her own. She had no idea what to do. Should she run? Should she fight? Would she even stand a chance? She could sense a great power coming from the three strangers while she on the other hand was still just barely learning how to use her wand.

The crystalline creature suddenly jumped forward, shoving his female companion aside in the process as he stomped his way over to Star. He stopped only a foot away from the frightened girl. "Tell us where Eclipsa is right now!" he demanded as he sloppily waived his snake-arms about menacingly.

"Eclipsa?" Star asked, confused. "What do you want with my mom?"

The strange trio did not respond, shocked by this new piece of information.

Before either side could make another move, the crystal-like creature was suddenly sent flying by a powerful blow.

Star smiled, relief flooding over her when she saw Meteora standing in the creature's place. She knew her older sister meant business when her skin went purple and her claws extended. Feeling a set of hands on her shoulder, she looked up to see Toffee standing over her.

Toffee maneuvered the girl behind him, never taking his eyes off any of the members of the Magical High Commission. He and Meteora had gone searching for Star after she had taken longer than usual to come home. While they were expecting to find her in some kind of shenanigans, they were certainly not expecting this.

"This just keeps getting better and better!" Hekapoo drew a pair of scissors from her dress and split them apart, wielding each blade as a weapon of its own. "We came here looking for Moon, but I guess we can just finish what she started instead!"

"There's an easier way to handle this." Omnitraxus waved his arm, causing a dark aura to envelope Star.

Star's eyes fluttered as she suddenly collapsed, the magic fading away from her as she now lay unconscious on the ground.

"Get her out of here!" Meteora ordered Toffee as her eyes lit up with green magic of her own, preparing to strike.

Nodding, Toffee scooped Star up and took off through the forest.

* * *

Eclipsa was almost in tears as she sat at Star's bedside, running her hands through the girl's hair. Star was breathing, clearly still alive, but had yet to awaken. "Are you sure that's it? Did anything else at all happen?" she pleaded with her son, trying to scrape together any bit of information she could. Though she was extremely familiar with Omnitraxus' magical abilities, she had absolutely no idea what he could have done to Star. Toffee described Omnitraxus' actions to her, but 'a cosmic energy,' was much too broad. It was an accurate description of almost all of Omnitraxus' magic.

"That's all, mother."

Eclipsa's hand lit up with her own dark magic as she ran them over Star's body, desperately trying to find something, anything that could have been out of place. How she wished she had learned some healing magic back when she still had the chance. Her tears started spilling when she was unable to find anything. She could not help her daughter. "Star, please," she pleaded to the unconscious girl. "Wake up."

Toffee loathed seeing his mother in such despair. Last time he had seen her like this was the night his father had died. He should have known better than to let Star run off into the forest like that. He knew the young girl was too excitable and naive for her own good. "I'm sure she will be fine," he hoped aloud. "All she needs is rest."

"Yes, I'm certain you're right." Eclipsa smiled reassuringly at Toffee, trying to put on a brave face as not to worry him any further.

The sound of the front door being slammed open from downstairs startled the two. They could tell by the familiar footsteps who was coming up the stairs.

"How is she?" Were the first words to spill out of Meteora's mouth the moment she set foot in the room.

"My goodness, Meteora. Are you hurt?" Eclipsa asked instead, shocked at the sight of her older daughter.

"I'm fine," Meteora said as she gazed down at her tattered clothes, understanding why her mother would be so concerned. "They put up a fight, but I was still able to chase them out of the forest."

"What did they want?"

"They were looking for Moon."

"Moon? Why?"

"I don't know, they never said." Meteora frowned as her gaze fell on Star. Having kept her back to Star during the fight, she did not see what Omnitraxus had done to the girl. While she appeared physically unharmed, the worried looks on her brother and mother's faces let her know something was still wrong.

"Is Moon in the forest? Did either of you see her? Is she coming here?" It had only been a week since Moon's last trip here. Eclipsa knew the woman was incredibly reluctant to visit, so it was unlikely she had come to the forest to see Star after only a few days passing. What other reason could she have for venturing out here?

"I didn't see her. I don't know if she's in the forest or planning on coming here."

Eclipsa had hundreds of questions running through her head, all of which she knew her children did not have answers for. At this point, all she could do was wait to see if Moon showed up and hope for the best.

* * *

"Moon, we need to talk."

The Mewman Queen was surprised to find the commission already waiting for her in her study when she returned. It was so late at night and she had barely even had the chance to remove her cloak and travel wear.

"Where were you?" Hekapoo asked without even a basic greeting.

Moon could tell something was off. "I was in the Forest of Certain Death," she answered honestly, confused as to why Hekapoo was acting this way. "I told you I was going there before I left."

"What were you doing there?" the mistress of interdimensional travel continued.

"I was speaking with King-"

"That's not important right now," Omnitraxus cut Moon off, directing everyone's attention away from Hekapoo's interrogation as he tried to quell the building tension in the room. "We came because we have urgent news. The Pigeon Kingdom has taken over the Kingdom of the Waterfolk."

Moon was stunned by the news, almost to the point of disbelief. "The Pigeon Kingdom? The one composed entirely of Pigeons? Pigeons who are naturally unable to breathe or swim underwater?" Thinking through all the possibilities, she still could not fathom how on Mewni they would have managed to take over a kingdom that existed entirely under the sea. Or why they would even want to.

"From what we've heard so far, they did it _unnaturally_. It seems they've developed new bodysuits with tanks of air attached. It let them breathe underwater. The rest of the details are unknown. We just found out ourselves hours ago," Hekapoo answered.

"Why?" Moon simply could not wrap her mind around this news. There was no animosity between the Pigeons and the Waterfolk, at least none that she knew of. How did this happen? How did the Pigeons amass a force strong enough for battle without anyone noticing? Granted, they mostly kept to themselves and were only accessible by passing through the Forest of Certain Death, but surely someone would have noticed.

"Again, we don't know much. We can't seem to make contact with the Waterfolk royals."

"Oh come on, that's not why we're here!" Rhombulus grumbled like a small child. "Get to the good stuff!"

Hekapoo gave Rhombulus an annoyed look followed by a swift punch to the shoulder. She hated how oblivious he could be.

"In the forest today," Omnitraxus jumped at the opportunity to spill their earlier finding, feeling as the most level-headed of the group he was the best choice to deliver the news, "we went looking for you to tell you about what happened to the Waterfolks, but...we found Star instead. She's alive."

"What?!" Moon's expression was a display of absolute horror. The commission likely suspected her to be aghast to learn her daughter was alive, but that she already knew. Her fear came from the knowledge the commission, the group who had tried to dispose of her daughter in the past, were now aware of her existence once more.

"Yeah," Rhombulus chimed in, completely unattuned to Moon's distress. She called Eclipsa her 'mom.' That she-witch must have kept her all this time!"

Hekapoo gave Rhombulus another punch to the shoulder before turning back to Moon in a calmer, more sympathetic tone. "We weren't able to capture her. Toffee and Meteora showed up. That half-breed put up quite a fight."

"What do you plan to do?" Moon asked in a relaxed tone though terrifying images of a lifeless Star ran through her mind.

"We don't know what Eclipsa has done to her or why she kept her alive all these years. Star had the wand, so Eclipsa must have tainted her with her dark magic. Our best bet for now would be to find some way to get Star away from Eclipsa and her bastard children so we can strike." Hekapoo could not even hold off Meteora with help from Omnitraxus and Rhombulus. There was no way the three of them would stand a chance against the combined force of the entire outcast Butterfly family.

"How do you plan to do that?" Moon continued her desperate line of questioning, taking care to conceal her true feelings.

"Star didn't have any memories of her past life, but I fixed that," Omnitraxus answered with an air of pride, certain his quick thinking during the earlier fight would no doubt come in handy down the line. "Once she remembers who her real mother is, I'm certain she'll come running back here to see you."

"And when she does, bam!" Rhombulus slapped his hands together for dramatic effect. "We take her out!"

A crippling anxiety filled Moon. They were going to use her as bait against her own daughter. She knew she could not hold off the entire commission on her own and if Star fled from Eclipsa, there would be no one who could save her. "Very well," she responded. "If you'll excuse me, I'd like to freshen up a bit before bed."

The Queen swiftly made her way to her private chambers, closing the door behind her. Leaning against the door, she slid to the ground and brought her knees to her chest. Unable to cope with the thought of losing her daughter once more, Moon broke down crying.

* * *

 **Poor Moon.**

 **Review please!**


	4. The Missing Pieces

**Recently got into watching Black Mirror. Fantastic show.**

* * *

Star threw herself upright with a piercing shriek, panic and fear racing through every inch of her body. She had a splitting headache as thousands of images flashed through her mind faster than she could process them. Opening her eyes and looking around, she found she could not see anything. Where was she? Last she could recall, her siblings were facing off against the three strangers she had run into in the forest.

Wait, siblings? Did she have siblings?

Images of a portrait flashed through her mind. It was a massive painting of her and two other people, adults, standing tall with somber faces. She was in the middle with a silver-haired woman to the left and a much shorter blond man to the right. Their faces were blurred out. Even though she could not see their features, they still somehow felt so familiar to her; like she had known them all her life. The two figures were not her siblings, but she knew they were still close to her.

A sharp stabbing pain suddenly shot through Star's head once more, leaving her grabbing at her hair as she screamed in agony.

"Star! Star! It's okay! I'm here!" Eclipsa turned the girl so the two of them were face-to-face, ensuring she would be the first thing her daughter saw when she opened her eyes once more. "It's okay, you're safe." Tears of joy were spilling down her cheeks as she pulled the girl close to her. The terrifying worry her daughter would never wake slowly lifted from her shoulders as she stroked the girl's hair, repeating, "You're okay, you're okay." She did not know who she was reassuring more: herself or Star.

The door to the room swung open as Meteora rushed in with Toffee close behind. "What's going on?! Is she alright?!" she asked, having been awoken by Star's screams.

Soothed by her mother's voice, Star opened her eyes again, finding she was able to see this time around. A lit candle on the nightstand now illuminated the room, bringing to light the concerned faces of everyone around her. Her sight landed on Toffee and Meteora as she suddenly recalled: Siblings. She did have them. She had known them all her life. She loved them. She was safe. She was home.

"I think so," Eclipsa answered as she gently pushed Star away from her to get another look at the girl. "Star, darling, are you okay?"

The blonde girl tried to talk, but found she could not muster more than a few choked sounds. She simply did not have the energy to speak. Even though she had just woken up, she still somehow felt so exhausted. Everything hurt, her head worst of all, and she found it difficult to focus her thoughts on any one thing. She had so many questions about what had happened and who those strange people were, but she knew she would have to save them for later. Now, all she wanted to do was sleep.

Unable to answer her mother's question, Star simply laid her head back down on her pillow and closed her eyes.

"Let's let her rest for now," Eclipsa spoke to her two adult children as she pulled the sheets back over Star. "I'm sure she'll be more talkative in the morning."

Still worried dearly for the younger girl, Toffee and Meteora took their leave, knowing there was not much more they could do for her. Much like their mother, all they could do was wait for morning and hope for the best.

* * *

The morning brought with it a new day, but no good news for the worried family. While Star had finally woken once more late in the afternoon, her condition did not appear to be any better.

Though she was more responsive than the night before, Eclipsa found Star was having trouble focusing and remembering things. The girl seemed to be in a constant daze, lost in another world. When she spoke, she would often lose her train of thought or simply forget what the question was mid response. She was constantly confused by her surroundings and seemed to not only have trouble remembering things she had done that very day, but things from her past as well.

The next few days brought no respite for the worried family either as Star's condition only seemed to worsen.

Star's nights were sleepless as she found herself constantly being awoken by an endless stream of night terrors. Horrible images of her family trying to kill or destroy her played in her mind in such rich, vivid detail it almost felt real. She was plagued with visions of Toffee leaving her to drown in dark sludge and Meteora sending vile creatures after her as she ran for dear life. The girl did not know what scared her more; the thought of the people she loved betraying her or the equally haunting terrors she was having in which _she_ was the one destroying them. More than she saw them hurting her, she saw herself blasting Toffee with her wand until nothing of him remained, collapsing an entire building on Meteora, and her mother completely encased in crystal.

Star hated it. She absolutely hated the gut-wrenching terrors and the fact she was causing everyone so much worry. Her mother had taken to sharing the bed with her so she could more easily calm her during the night and though Star loved her mother, she hated waking to the affections of the person she had just allowed to perish in her dreams. She knew she had not really harmed her mom, after all, the woman was in front of her, gently soothing her from her latest nightmare, but it somehow still felt so wrong to her. Like she had actually done all the things she had been seeing in her sleep.

Though all three adult members of the household were troubled by Star's condition, Toffee took it worst of all. It wracked him with guilt to see Star like this. His mother and Meteora had trusted him to look after the girl, a simple task, and he had failed. Now they and Star suffered for his mistake. He almost got her killed and even though she was physically with them, he could tell Star was not entirely there. When he made direct eye-contact with her, he knew she was not seeing him. She was always staring past him, lost somewhere in the recesses of her own mind. Much like the rest of his family, all he could do was hope things would eventually turn around.

* * *

Eclipsa, Toffee, and Meteora worried greatly when Star's condition did not improve over the next few weeks. Just as they were beginning to lose hope, fearing Omnitraxus had caused Star some kind of permanent damage, the girl finally started to get better.

It was a slow progression, but little by little, they noticed Star was beginning to regain some function and awareness. Her memory was improving and she was able to hold small conversations without losing focus. Her sleep was becoming more peaceful, and though she was still having the occasional nightmare, she was finding it easier and easier to cope with the visions, reminding herself the things she were seeing were simply dreams.

The three adult members of the household were relieved at Star's progress. Not only was her day-to-day memory improving, but the girl seemed to be able to recall the things she had not been able to remember over the past week. Just small details of things she had done or what she had eaten, but even these tiny victories meant a lot to the family. The pieces of Star's mind were finally starting to come together.

But what had been good news at first had slowly begun to morph into a terrifying prospect for the family. As Star became more coherent, the family realized she was starting to remember everything.

 _Everything._

* * *

"Mom, where is my jacket?" Star asked from her seat at the kitchen table.

"Are you cold?" Eclipsa was surprised Star would be cold on an unseasonably warm day, but nevertheless got up to fetch the article of clothing. "You keep eating, I'll go get it for you," she called behind her as she made her way up the stairs. When she returned, she stood behind Star with the jacket open, ready to help her daughter put it on, but could tell something was bothering the girl.

"No, Mom, my jacket." Star was confused, staring at the blue garment her mother had brought down. She had no idea where it came from, but she knew it was not hers.

"Star, this is your jacket," Eclipsa calmly responded, accustomed to her daughter's memory lapses by now.

"No, my red one."

"You don't have a red jacket, dear."

Star seemed frustrated by this revelation. She could see the jacket so clearly in her mind. Why did no one in her family recall it? She had worn it many times. She had seen it lying around all over the place. Trying to formulate the words to describe it, she finally blurted out, "Marco's jacket, Mom! I'm talking about Marco's jacket! Where is it?"

From the corner of her eyes, Eclipsa saw the shocked expressions on her other two children's faces. Though just as surprised as they were, she kept a cool expression as not to hint to Star that something was amiss. She recognized the name Marco; Star's old friend from the Earth dimension. "It's not here," she answered truthfully, unsure of just how much Star remembered about the boy. "Why don't you use this instead?" she tried once more. Star seemed to accept her answer, letting the matter go and putting on the jacket she had brought down from their shared room.

Returning to her seat at the table, Eclipsa turned to her other two children whom had yet to resume eating. "Are you finished?" she asked, subtly hinting she did not want them to make a big deal out of this.

Toffee and Meteora wordlessly returned to their meals.

* * *

Though she made no mention of it to any of her children, Eclipsa's concern was growing with each passing day. She realized Star's recollection of her old Earth friend was not just a passing fluke, but an issue she would have to eventually address. With each new day, Star was remembering something else about her old life, though she had not quite pieced together she was recalling things from a completely different time.

The next incident had occurred that very night when Star awoke, shrieking Toffee's name. Eclipsa had assumed her daughter had had another nightmare, well aware of the fact many of Star's terrors were centered around the family, but this time, the girl had a much different reaction.

Star woke panicked, throwing the sheets off of herself as she leapt from the bed and ran from the room before Eclipsa even had a chance to reassure her the vision was only a dream.

"Star, where are you going?!" Eclipsa called after her daughter, quickly getting up to follow.

Star cleared the short distance between her room and Toffee's, almost knocking the door off its hinges as she kicked it open. "Toffee!"

Already awake from the sound of Star screaming his name earlier, Toffee was still nonetheless startled by the girl's sudden and unexpected intrusion into his room. Before he could even ask what was wrong, the girl clamored atop him and began tugging at his clothes. "Star, what's gotten into you?" he asked, pulling her off of him.

"You're hurt!" she shouted as she frantically tried to reach for Toffee's clothing once more to see the extent of his injuries.

By this point, both Meteora and Eclipsa had gathered in the open doorway, concerned about the fuss Star was raising.

"Star," Toffee firmly, but gently, took the girl's arms and pushed her off of him, "I'm fine. What you saw was just a dream."

"But your finger is gone!"

It was then Eclipsa realized what had been happening to Star. Her nightmares were not merely bad dreams, but memories of her past altercations with Toffee and Meteora.

Toffee tensed at the statement, briefly glancing up at Eclipsa and Meteora still stationed in the doorway with equally apprehensive expressions on their faces. Keeping his cool, he turned back to the panicked girl, holding his hands out to her. "I'm perfectly fine, Star. See for yourself, all ten fingers are accounted for."

Star took Toffee's hands into hers, studying them intently. He was right; there was not a scale out of place. Looking up his arms, she found no other signs of injury or missing limbs. Tears of relief welled in her eyes as a small whimper escaped her lips.

"What's wrong, Star?" the lizard asked, placing a comforting hand on the girl's shoulders.

"It's just...I'm sorry. I hurt you at the castle. I don't want anything to happen to you." Images of a twisted, warped, malformed lizard dragging its way over to her flashed through her mind. Its mouth was open, emitting a high pitched wail from its lips as it left a trail of black sludge behind it with each inch it was able to move. Only half of its body was formed, the rest still there though nothing more than a visible skeleton with entrails protruding. She shuddered at the gruesome sight in her mind, feeling somewhat sick.

Choosing to follow his mother's lead, Toffee drew no attention to Star's mention of the castle or the battle she was referring to, instead reassuring the girl once more, "Everything is fine, Star. There's no need to cry. I'm not hurt."

Star wrapped her arms around Toffee as a few more silent tears escaped her eyes.

"Come, Star. Let's go back to bed," Eclipsa offered, finally stepping into the room. "It's late, you need your rest."

"Can I stay with you tonight?" Star asked her brother, not quite ready to let go of him as images of his mangled body still haunted her.

Star had not shared a room with him in some time thanks to the run-in she had with the Magical High Commission and Toffee was a little hesitant. If the girl was still having nightmares about him, his face being the first thing she saw when she awoke may not have been for the best. Besides, his mother knew better how to calm the girl when she was in a terror-induced fit.

Still, looking down at Star, he found it hard to say no. He knew she needed this to feel reassured. Besides, if his mother had not raised any objections, she must not have thought it a bad idea. "Alright," he scooted over on his bed to make room for the girl, "hop in."

* * *

It became apparent quite soon to the family that Star's earlier delayed functions had not been caused by damage of any sort, but by her own mind trying to reconcile her two sets of memories. Whatever Omnitraxus Prime had done to her had restored her memories from her previous life and it was only a matter of time before they all came to light.

The reconciliation was definitely still a work in progress, but with each passing day, Star was remembering more and more about her past, but just not quite how it all fit together. It seemed at times Star was stuck between her two lives; only able to remember one without the other. She had not yet reached a point where she could hold both memories at the same time, but Eclipsa knew it was only a matter of time before she did.

While Eclipsa had not quite yet figured out what to do when Star finally remembered everything, she made one firm rule everyone was to follow: Do not lie to Star.

Eclipsa had always believed all knowledge was good knowledge, and though she did not believe it was in Star's best interests to learn the truth of her circumstances just yet, she knew she no longer had a choice in the matter. She hoped by being honest with Star she could at least make the process easier for her and allow the girl to feel comfortable enough to approach her with any questions she had when the time finally came.

* * *

"Mom?" Star called as she stepped into the room she and her mother shared.

"Yes, dear?" Eclipsa responded with a mouthful of pins as she prepared to put her hair up for the day.

"Are you going somewhere?" Star asked hopefully. "Can I go with you?"

While she was indeed heading out, Eclipsa knew she would not be able to bring Star with her. Now that the Magical High Commission knew they were all hidden somewhere in the forest, they had been patrolling the area with Mewman knights around the clock, trying to find their home. In order to protect Star, Eclipsa was forced to put her under house arrest. The girl could not travel to any other dimensions and while she was allowed short periods outside, it was only under close supervision and within close proximity of the cottage.

Nowhere was safe. Wanted posters of Eclipsa, Toffee, and Meteora were hanging at the entrance of the forest and across several dimensions; a hefty reward guaranteed for anyone who could bring them to the Magical High Commission, dead or alive. Thankfully no posters of Star were hung, but it was not hard for the Queen of Darkness to deduce who the commission's real target was. They could not exactly advertise the heiress to the Mewman throne was still alive and wanted without causing a stir amongst the other royal families or the kingdom's subjects.

"I'm sorry, dear," Eclipsa apologized sincerely. It tore her up to have to lock Star away like this, but what choice did she have? Even she herself was under the same house arrest, only leaving now because they were running low on food. "It's just a quick trip; I won't be out for long. You'd best stay here."

Star's smile dropped into a frown, breaking the older woman's heart.

"I know it's awful, dear, but it's just for a little while," Eclipsa tried to cheer Star up, though she was more hoping than promising with her words. "If you're bored, why don't you play a round of chess with Toffee?"

"Okay," Star replied, unable to hide the disappointment in her voice.

"I'm sorry, love," Eclipsa apologized once more as she placed her hat upon her head. "When I get back you and I will do something together, I promise." She gave the girl a quick kiss and hug before drawing Moon's dimensional scissors from her coat and cutting open a portal.

* * *

Star firmly took hold of the weed in front of her, pulling with all her might. The small plant was a rather stubborn pest, clinging firmly to the ground. With the stormy season here, she had decided to get as much of the weeding done in the garden as possible before the first rain fell, knowing the overly-wet soil would make much of her work difficult and messy.

Unable to pull the intruding plant from the soil, Star reached for her wand, ready to blast the green invader from the ground. Before she could even utter the first syllable of her spell, she felt a hand over hers, pulling it and the wand down.

"Star, you don't need to use magic for every little problem." Eclipsa wrapped her hands around the stubborn weed, motioning for the girl to follow suit. "I'm sure a little more elbow grease is all we need. Together now."

The two pulled with all their might, falling backwards as they finally freed the unwanted plant from the garden. Star could not help but laugh as they got up, each covered with dirt.

"And I just cleaned this dress!" Eclipsa lamented playfully, laughing along with Star at their predicament. Dusting herself off, she turned around, heading to the kitchen back door to quickly clean up.

"Eclipsa!" Star suddenly called out, the panic and fear heavy in her voice.

Said woman froze in place. Star had never called her by her first name before, always referring to her as 'Mom.' The sudden change of tone led her to suspect Star was likely going through a memory shift, recalling something from her old life. Perhaps it had something to do with her, considering Star was not referring to her as her mother. Turning back to the girl, she answered, "Yes, dear?"

"Where am I?" Alarm and confusion were evident on Star's face as her eyes shifted about her surroundings. She knew she was in the Forest of Certain Death, but she had no idea where exactly, how she got here, or what she was even doing here in the first place. Her only relief was seeing Eclipsa nearby.

Returning back to her spot beside the girl, Eclipsa wrapped her arm around Star's shoulder to help calm her. "We're in the forest."

"How did I get here?" Star continued even though she was not quite satisfied with the answer to her first question. The specifics of the forest did not really matter to her; it was the gap in her memory that did. She did not remember leaving Castle Butterfly. Now that she thought about it, how did Eclipsa get here? Was she not locked up in the rose tower?

"I brought you here."

"Why?"

"For your own safety."

Star did not quite understand what Eclipsa meant, but the underlying ominous message in the woman's words worried her even more. She did not know why Eclipsa felt the need to bring her to the forest or what she was keeping her safe from, but she did know one thing for certain. "I want to go home."

"You are home, Star. We planted this garden together, remember?" Eclipsa tried to coax the memories of Star's second life out, hoping it would calm her. She pointed to the window on the second story of the cottage behind them. "That's your room up there. You and I share it."

Star calmed a bit, suddenly remembering the things Eclipsa was showing her. That was right. She had lived here with Eclipsa all her life. Memories of the woman singing to her as a small child, playing with her, and generally caring for her flashed through her mind, all set in the small cottage. Why was she thinking of a castle?

Satisfied Star had been pacified, Eclipsa rose to head back inside once more, stopping only when she caught sight of something in the distance. "Oh look, Toffee's returned. Why don't you go say hi? I'll be back in just a minute." Turning her back to Star as she left, Eclipsa failed to see the horrified expression on the young girl's face.

Sheer terror ran through Star's veins as Toffee approached. She reached to Eclipsa's retreating figure, trying to call out to her for help, but found herself unable to, too paralyzed with fear to actually scream. Her heart was breaking as the tears began falling. How was her mother so nonchalant about his arrival? Did she not remember what Toffee had done to them? Did Toffee not kill her own mother? How could she just walk away and leave her to face him alone?

Fumbling around on the ground, Star gripped her wand and shakily stood up, holding it out in front of her. She wiped her tears away, trying to get them to stop before Toffee was close enough to see, not wanting to show any weakness in front of the Monster who had plagued her family for generations.

"Star?" Toffee stopped several feet away from the girl. "Star, what's wrong?" he asked, noticing the girl's swollen eyes and fearful look.

"G-g-get away!" Star tried to sound strong, but could not hold back her terrified stutters.

"Star, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." Toffee tried to close the distance between the two of them, but was unable to as Star took a step back for each one he took forward.

Finally working up the courage to do something, Star pointed the wand directly at Toffee, shouting, "Super mega narwhal blast!"

Not expecting the girl to actually attack him, Toffee was caught off guard when a barrage of narwhals came hurtling towards him, knocking him clean off his feet and sending him flying further back into the forest. Getting his bearings, the lizard quickly leapt into action, returning to the garden only to find Star gone. Unable to find any clue as to which direction she had taken off in, he rushed into the cottage, hoping she had possibly done the same. "Star! Star, are you here?!" he called out.

"Toffee, what's the matter?" Eclipsa asked, her voice full of dread as she came down the stairs in a clean dress. It was clear from her son's tone that something was wrong.

"It's Star. She ran off."

Eclipsa's heart dropped. Star's thoughts must have still been in her previous life when she left her. Between the first rain of the stormy season about to begin and the forest regularly being patrolled for the girl, she knew they did not have much time to waste. "Meteora!" she called out for her older daughter, knowing she and Toffee would need all the help they could get.

* * *

Hidden high up in the trees, Star clutched her knees to her chest, trying her best to keep out of sight. Her legs felt like they were on fire from all the running she had done, trying unsuccessfully to find her way out of the forest. She was absolutely exhausted and the splitting headache she had was not making things any easier for her. The rain had begun to fall, leaving her soaking wet and shivering, though from fear or cold, she did not know. She did not know anything.

She had memories of a childhood in both the small cottage and Castle Butterfly. She had memories of being thrown into the air as a young child by both River and Toffee. She had memories of both Skullnick and Meteora teaching her basic mathematics. She had memories of both Moon and Eclipsa rocking her to sleep, singing the same lullaby. Memories of them both giving her the wand that was currently clutched tightly against her chest. She did not know what was real, what was fake, or what to believe. All she knew was that she had to get out of here.

"Star! Star, where are you?!"

The princess froze, trying to calm her racing heart as Eclipsa's desperate voice echoed through the forest. She was torn between wanting to run into the woman's arms and wanting to run as far away from her as possible. Peering over from behind the tree's trunk, she caught sight of Toffee and Meteora trailing behind Eclipsa, no doubt searching for her as well. Stifling her gasp, she quickly hid herself behind the trunk once more, hoping they would soon pass. She did not have the energy to continue moving, nor was she sure she could outrun the three of them if she were spotted.

Nervous sweat dripped down her brow, washed away by the torrential rain as the trio passed. Star let go of a breath she did not realize she had been holding when they finally disappeared out of sight. Waiting several minutes before making a move, she attempted to slide down the trunk only to lose her grip and come tumbling down through several branches. Quickly recovering, she took off in the opposite direction as Eclipsa, hoping her loud, ungraceful landing had not caught the search party's attention.

Ignoring the pain in her legs and the fact every muscle in her body was screaming for her to stop, Star continued sprinting as fast as she could, dodging and weaving her way through the trees in hopes she would finally reach the end of the forest. Hearing the sound of voices coming from up ahead, she quickly skid to a halt, jumping into some nearby shrubbery to hide.

"I don't care if it's raining, we're not stopping until we find them!"

Star recognized that gruff, inarticulate voice. Peeking through the openings in the leaves, she caught sight of a brigade of knights sloughing past her through the mud, all groaning in response to the order they had just been given. Behind them was a crystalline figure who she instantly recognized: Rhombulus! He would be able to help her!

"You three go there, you two over there, and...uh...you!" Rhombulus shouted at the last unsuspecting knight. "Go look somewhere else!"

Another series of groans followed as the six knights complied, splitting up into smaller groups to scour the forest for the wanted family.

"I'm such a good leader," Rhombulus praised himself in the knights' absence.

Crawling out from her hiding place, Star scurried behind the fractal creature and tugged on his cloak, trying to get his attention.

Caught by surprise, Rhombulus spun around sharply and held his snake-arms out, each reptile hissing as it was poised to strike. "Don't move!"

Star stumbled back, but quickly caught her footing. "Rhombulus, it's me! Star Butterfly! Princess of Mewni!"

Rhombulus kept his arms up defensively as he narrowed his eye at the girl. "Did Eclipsa send you?! Is she here?!" he demanded, trying his best to sound menacing. He was beginning to regret sending the knights away, unsure if he could fight off the Queen of Darkness and her evil brood alone.

"No, I'm trying to get away from Eclipsa! I need to get back to the castle, but I'm lost. Get me out of here, please!" she begged, desperate to find her way out of the forest. She did not know how much longer she could last in the stormy weather or how much longer she would be able to avoid being found.

Still suspecting the girl's pleas to be nothing more than a trap, Rhombulus refused to budge. "Why would I help-" he began only to have his arms begin snapping and hissing at him. "Uh...hold on a sec." Turning his back to Star, he shuffled forward a few steps for privacy's sake, whispering under his breath, "What do you guys want?"

"You need her, you idiot!" his right hand hissed, quickly glancing at the girl to ensure she was still there. "She's the one we're actually looking for!"

"Omnitraxus gave her her memories back," his left hand joined in. "She's not afraid of you; she thinks you're still her friend. Use it to your advantage, you numbskull! Take her back to the commission!"

"Okay, fine, you don't have to be so mean!" Rhombulus huffed before turning back to face the former princess. "Alright, I'll get you out of here, but I gotta do something real quick." Rhombulus raised his hands to his head, stopping momentarily when he realized his actions could raise the girl's suspicions. "I...have something in my eye."

Star had to admit, she found Rhombulus' announcement particularly strange, but he had never been the sharpest tool in the Magical High Commission's shed. She had dealt with his bizarre behaviors before and paid it no mind when he brought both his hands up to his face, even though something about it did not feel quite right to her. Before she could even question his strange conduct, she found herself suddenly flying, having received a forceful blow to her back.

Star collided violently with a tree, curling into a ball upon impact with the ground. She found herself struggling to rise from the pain emanating through her back, but pushed through it anyways, knowing she had to flee from her attacker. Using the tree to pull herself into a standing position, Star saw that it was not Rhombulus who had struck her, but Meteora.

Where Star had once stood, Meteora did, completely encased in crystal. She had struck the girl not to harm her, but to save her from that very fate.

The young princess watched as Rhombulus now engaged in battle with Toffee and Eclipsa. More forgotten memories resurfaced as Star recollected her past experiences with the commission member. How he snuck into her home in the middle of the night and froze her, insisting she had been evil. How he had justified freezing Eclipsa on the same grounds. Her nightmares of her adoptive mother trapped in ice were not visions of her own doing, but of his. He was the one who trapped her. She had only stumbled upon the frozen Eclipsa when he had dragged her to the Realm of Crystals against her will.

Star broke from her thoughts, screaming when she realized Eclipsa had fallen victim to Rhombulus once more, lying on the forest floor, sheathed in crystal. Her heart was beating so hard it felt like it was going to explode out her chest. She could not stop the tears of grief from rolling down her face as she thought about what would happen to her fallen family members. Though Toffee was still putting up a fight, Star knew he would not be able to hold out much longer himself. His left arm was of no use, already encased in ice, and his body was weakened, still trying to regenerate from injures Rhombulus had dealt him as they fought.

Leaning against the tree for support, Star held her wand up. "I call the darkness unto me, from deepest depths of earth and sea, from ancient evils unawoken, break the one who can't be broken. To blackest night I pledge my soul and crush my heart to burning coal, to summon forth a deathly power, to see my hated foe devoured!"

Eclipsa had always referred to the chant as the 'darkest spell.' It was the very first spell the woman had taught her as a young child, but she had never gone into much detail about what it did. She had made Star swear to her she would never use the spell unless she had to; unless she was trapped in a life-or-death situation with no way out. The girl had no idea what the spell would do, but she somehow knew it was time to put it to use.

Keeping the wand pointed straight at her target's heart as she had been taught, Star watched in equal parts fear and fascination as a deep light filled the wand, culminating in a blast of dark magic that shot straight towards Rhombulus' chest. She watched in abject horror as the blast struck him.

Rhombulus gave an ear-splitting shriek, falling to the ground in excruciating pain. He writhed on the forest floor as cracks began appearing over his body, each seeping with a dark energy. Without warning, his body exploded in a blast of dark magic, sending shards of harmless crystal flying in every direction. The moment the shards made contact with the ground or any object, they simply dissolved in a puff of wispy smoke.

Rhombulus was dead. She had killed him.

She had _killed_ him.

Star knelt to the ground and vomited.

With Rhombulus dead, his crystals no longer had any magical power supporting their structures. The ice encasing Meteora, Eclipsa, and Toffee's arm slowly began cracking and shattering, disappearing in a similar fashion to their creator.

Taking a deep, gasping breath as she broke free of her fractal prison, Eclipsa immediately cried out, "Where is Star?!"

Said girl came running, throwing herself into Eclipsa's outstretched arms. She wrapped her arms tightly around her adoptive mother, burying her face into the woman's clothes as she sobbed.

"There, there, Star." Eclipsa felt her heart drop at the sight of her daughter's dark-magic scarred arms. She did not need to ask to know what had become of Rhombulus. She had hoped all her life Star would never have to use her spell and it tore her apart to know she did. "It's okay. You're safe now," she reassured both the girl and herself. "Let's get you home."

Star did not object when she felt Toffee come up behind her and gently pry her from Eclipsa, scooping her into his arms for the journey back to the cottage. She was too physically exhausted and emotionally drained to make the trek back to their small home on her own. She leaned against his chest and closed her eyes, feeling safe in his arms as he carried her away.

Eclipsa silently took her older daughter's arm, holding her back. She waited a few moments until she was sure Star was out of earshot before speaking. "Meteora, I need you to go to Castle Butterfly and bring Moon. We can't put this off any longer. We need to tell Star the truth."

Meteora nodded, in agreement the time had come. Without another word, she took off.

* * *

"Set her down here," Eclipsa gently instructed Toffee, clearing a space on the bathroom floor, "I'll take it from here."

Star awoke when she felt herself being lowered to the ground, having dozed off on the way home. "Wha...what's going on?" she asked as she watched Toffee simply turn around and leave.

"Sorry, dear," Eclipsa apologized as she began removing Star's shoes. "I know you're probably exhausted, but we have to get you cleaned up. You're a mess!"

The blonde girl was not going to argue with that. Almost every square inch of her was coated in dried mud and plant debris. She allowed her adoptive mother to undress her and help her into the bathtub already filled with warm water.

Eclipsa went to work thoroughly, but gently, scrubbing away at the caked dirt. She was particularly wary around any part of Star's body she thought might have been injured. In her desperation to save her, Meteora had knocked the girl out of the way rather harshly, likely the explanation for the massive bruise that was starting to form on the girl's back. She did not blame her older daughter, certain she would have done the same had she been the first to reach Star.

Noticing how quiet Star had been this whole time, Eclipsa looked to her face, wondering if she had fallen asleep once more. She found Star wide awake, staring intently at her darkened hands and arms, no doubt comparing them to her own recently-developed markings. Having only cast the spell once and so recently, marking were only visible on the underside of Star's forearms. Her hands were free and clear of any signs of dark magic for the time being.

Eclipsa found herself feeling quite guilty, knowing Star was no doubt torn-up inside about having taken a life. She knew it was unfair to not tell Star what the spell did when she taught it to her all those years ago, but she did not have a choice. She had taught Star the darkest spell with the Magical High Commission in mind, knowing no amount of her daughter's usual imaginative magic would be able to subdue three immortal beings. Star had always been a sensitive soul, too kind-hearted for her own good. She would have never purposely sent someone to the next world, even if it meant saving her own life. She never wanted to put Star through this torment, but if it meant ensuring the girl lived to see another day, Eclipsa was willing to.

"There are some choices in life we have to make. Even if we hate them, even if we disagree with them, we have to make them. You are a good person, Star. What happened today doesn't make you a bad person," Eclipsa spoke, trying to ease the guilt eating away at the both of them. "What Moon and I did...we did because we love you and couldn't bear to lose you. We've both made some bad choices in life, but these choices don't make us bad people. I've always done what I thought was right, even when others disagreed with me. I don't know what's going to happen now, but whatever does, just know that I love you. We both love you."

Hearing the emotional cracks in Eclipsa's voice, Star leaned forward and hugged the woman.

Eclipsa returned the gesture, not paying any mind to the dirty water soaking through her clothing.

* * *

 **This was one of my favorite chapters to write. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.**

 **Review please!**


	5. The Aftermath

**I can't wait until 2019. I need season four now!**

* * *

"Where is she?! Is she hurt?!" Moon asked first thing upon entering the cottage. She had been rather shocked when Meteora broke into her room in the middle of the night, but wasted no time running over when she had been told what happened.

"She'll be okay," Eclipsa spoke as she led Moon up the stairs. "She's sleeping for now, but she's been very anxious to see you." Stopping in front of her shared room, she gently opened the door to reveal the sleeping Star. "I'll give you some privacy," she whispered to the Queen before heading back down the stairs.

Taking a deep breath, Moon stepped into the room, quietly closing the door behind her. Making her way over to Star's bed, she knelt down beside it and began stroking the girl's face. There were a few visible scratches on her, but she looked okay overall. "Star," she softly called to the girl.

Star stirred in her sleep, opening her eyes to see who was calling her. "...Mom?"

Tears began welling in Moon's eyes as she nodded her head. She had not been called that in fourteen years. "I'm here, Star."

"Mom!" Star threw the blankets off as she launched herself towards the woman, wrapping her arms tightly around her.

Moon had been waiting so long for this moment. All she had wanted to do these past years was hold Star in her arms and let her know how much she loved her, how much she missed her, and how much she wanted to bring her back home. She wanted to be more than just the biological mother of her child; she wanted to be her parent. It warmed her heart to know Star finally remembered her and the bond they shared.

As she continued to hold her daughter, rubbing gentle circles on her back, Moon caught sight of the markings on Star's wrists; all too similar to the ones she bore on her own arms. Meteora had filled her in about the attack and Rhombulus' death, so she was not surprised at the sight, but it still did not make her feel any better.

It filled her with sorrow to think Star had been forced into such a position; that she had been cornered, fearing for her life. She wanted to be furious at Eclipsa for having even taught Star the darkest spell, but deep down, she knew she had no real reason to be. She knew that when the time came for Star to learn magic again, it would have only been natural for Eclipsa to teach the girl dark magic. It was her specialty after all. Even then, if Eclipsa had not taught Star the spell, her daughter would not have been here in her arms now. She would have been frozen in crystal, trapped for all eternity until the commission decided to simply destroy her.

"Mom, where's dad?" Star asked, realizing she had at no point ever seen her father in the past fourteen years.

Moon rose from the floor, seating herself on the bed beside Star. "He is...no longer with us," she answered somberly, immediately taking hold of her daughter once more to comfort her.

"No..." Star pleaded with tears, overcome with grief at the news. "What happened to him?"

"I think losing you took quite a toll on him. He was never really the same after that. One day he just...never woke up. His heart stopped and he passed quietly in his sleep." Moon shared in her daughter's grief with tears of her own. Her husband had been dead nearly a decade, but the pain of losing him still haunted her. She had hoped she would one day be able to reveal the truth about their daughter to him, but it seemed the universe had other plans. "I'm sorry, Star."

The day had been such an emotional rollercoaster for Star, constantly fluctuating between relief and despair. She did not know how much more she could take. Her perfect, small, forest-dwelling world was gone. Her entire life was a sheltered lie. And yet, she had to know. "What happened to me?!" she demanded, pushing through the emotional pain. She may have regained her memories, but there were still so many questions she simply did not have the answers to. "How did I get here? Why am I in the forest? Why did Rhombulus want to hurt me? I want to know everything!"

It was going to be a long and painful tale, but one Moon knew Star had to hear. "It started the night before Eclipsa's trial. I think the Magical High Commission...began fearing you. Your magic was growing very powerful, you were getting very friendly with the local monsters, and...they, well...they were afraid you were going to become another Eclipsa. They felt you had already been tainted by her dark chapter and were another evil in the world they needed to take care of. They wanted to get rid of you before you became a problem." The words stung the Queen as she spoke, serving as just another reminder of the night she had almost lost her child. She paused, allowing Star time to mull over the information.

Star was troubled by this revelation, betrayed and heartbroken that the commission would think her evil. And for what? For wanting peaceful relations between Monsters and Mewmans? For reading Eclipsa's chapter, which really was not all that bad in the first place? For wanting to give Eclipsa a fair trial before imprisoning her for all eternity? "You don't...think I'm evil, do you?" she asked her mother worriedly, knowing the two of them had not seen eye-to-eye on many issues in her past life.

"Of course not! You're the least evil person I know!" Moon squeezed Star tightly in an embrace as she had seen Eclipsa do many times before, bringing a smile to the girl's face. "That night...well, it really made me question what I think; question the things I've always accepted as truth. You were always a curious spirit, questioning everything around you. I've just always accepted things as they were. I realized only too late that I could have been a better queen, a better mother, had I been more like you."

"Mom, no," now it was Star's turn to reassure her mother. "You were great." Sure, maybe her mother had not been the _perfect_ parent, but Star knew she had done her best. She raised her, cared for her, and was there when she needed her. She may not have always had the answers the princess needed, or even an understanding of what she was going through, but she tried to help her however she thought best. It probably did not help that she herself usually burst into the room yelling and tossing things around whenever she needed her mom's attention.

Moon smiled at her daughter's response, but knew deep down it was not true. Star had spent her last few days with her trying so hard to tell her the truth about Eclipsa and Meteora only to be blown off and called a liar. Casual conversation with Eclipsa over the years had revealed to her the fact Star had stopped coming to her when she needed help, instead seeking advice from the Queen of Darkness herself. She could not blame her daughter, recalling the horrified expression on Star's face when she had been informed that the Magical High Commission would lock her away if she was able to enter her butterfly form at will. Or how upset Star had been when she had refused to believe the girl was being haunted by visions of Glossaryck. Or all the other countless times Star had asked for her help and was simply ignored or talked down to. How she wished she could go back and do her daughter right.

"You tried to get your wand and Omnitraxus rewound the clock on you. Turned you back into a baby so you couldn't fight. Eclipsa saved you that night when I couldn't. You called for me and I couldn't...I couldn't do anything." Tears welled in Moon's eyes once more as she recalled the scared expression on Star's face, pleading with her for help. "If Eclipsa hadn't been there, they would have…" She held Star closer to her, unable to finish the thought.

Star finally understood why she had two sets of memories. Why she could specifically think back to a certain moment in time and recall two separate events, one with Eclipsa and one with Moon. They were not conflicting or false memories implanted into her head with dark magic as she had secretly feared, but rather, two separate recollections of two separate experiences for the same periods of her life.

"I told Eclipsa to take you and raise you as if you were her own daughter. She brought you to the forest to live with her and her other children, away from anything or anyone who would want to harm you. That was fourteen years ago and here we are now."

Silence filled the room as Moon stroked her daughter's hair, giving her time to process her words. It must have been incredibly difficult for the girl, having her entire life turned upside down in a single night.

"Why didn't you tell me any of this?" Star finally spoke after several minutes, her tone neutral, expressing no anger or sadness much to her mother's relief.

"We decided it would be best not to tell you. We weren't even sure if you would remember your past life when you grew once more and...we were hoping you wouldn't. We didn't want you to live in fear or worry, haunted by what had happened or what could happen. We wanted you to have as much of a normal childhood as possible. I know you never really liked all the obligations and expectations that came with being princess. I thought you might enjoy the freedom life in the forest brought you. There are many other reasons, but just know, more than anything, Eclipsa and I just wanted you to be happy. We love you so much, Star."

* * *

Moon quietly made her way down the stairs, doing her best to avoid any creaks as not to wake the residents of the home. After retelling her daughter the events of the fateful night fourteen years ago that started it all, she chose to remain with Star as she drifted off to sleep, unwilling to let her go. She would have at the very least stayed until the girl woke up, but knew she had to leave. Her abrupt disappearance immediately following Rhombulus' death was likely already raising alarm amongst the castle knights if not suspicion from the other remaining commission members.

Reaching the end of the staircase, she was surprised to find Eclipsa still awake, seated in the kitchen with a cup of tea in hand.

"How is she?" Eclipsa immediately asked, having been kept up all night with worry.

"She's alright," Moon answered as she approached, joining Eclipsa at the table. "She's upset, but...I think she understands why we did what we did."

Eclipsa gave a soft sigh of relief, glad to hear Star had taken it well, or at least as well as one could under the circumstances. It was understandable she would be upset by the revelation, but time would eventually heal that wound. "Why don't you stay the night?" she offered the Queen, knowing how exhausted she must have been. "It's far too late to journey back to the castle at this hour."

"Thank you, but I really can't stay any longer. I should be going." Moon paused after her response, but was not quite ready to leave, still hesitant of what was to come. While she was glad Star was okay, there was no doubt serious repercussions would come from today's events. Hekapoo and Omnitraxus Prime would almost certainly call for Star's blood now that she had killed Rhombulus. "Eclipsa...what are we going to do?"

Eclipsa understood Moon's worry, sharing in it herself. "Star is still safe here in the forest for now. I can't tell you what the future will hold, but I can promise you we will do our best to protect her."

It was all Moon could have asked for from Eclipsa. "Thank you."

* * *

"Moon, wake up!" Hekapoo slammed the door to the Queen's private chambers open forcefully without knocking.

Said Queen suddenly shot up in shock, wide awake, heart pounding as she shouted, "What's going on?!" Seeing who was standing in the doorway, she did not need an answer to her question. She knew what this was about, but had not been expecting to be woken up so roughly this late in the night over it.

"Emergency meeting in the conference room! Now!" It was clear Hekapoo would not take no for an answer as she headed for the room herself, leaving the door to Moon's chambers open behind her.

Throwing a robe over her nightgown, Moon quickly followed down the hall behind Hekapoo with her long silver hair flowing freely behind her. Reaching the conference room, she caught sight of several disheveled, mud-covered guards leaving, recognizing them as the brigade that had last been sent to accompany Rhombulus in a search through the forest for Eclipsa.

"You're all free to go," Hekapoo dismissed the knights from the room with a wave before turning to Moon. "I'm just going to be frank. Rhombulus is dead."

"What happened?" Moon dutifully asked, putting on a charade of shock and remorse as not to raise any suspicion.

"It was Star," Omnitraxus answered, a bitterness clear in his tone. "She used Eclipsa's evil magic and killed him in cold blood. Completely unprovoked!"

Moon felt anger building within her, but maintained her facade. They were all out to destroy the girl, not exactly what she would call 'unprovoked.' Whether they were distorting the truth or just relaying what the knights had seen, she did not know, but in the end, it did not really matter. They would say whatever they needed to in order to justify getting rid of the girl.

"What we feared has now happened," Hekapoo continued. "Eclipsa has corrupted Star. We don't know what she has in store for the kingdom or the rest of Mewni, but we have to up our search."

"Very well, I understand. We can send more guards out when the next shift begins." Moon was confident in Eclipsa's abilities. The former Queen would be able to protect and hide Star with help from Toffee and Meteora. Besides, now that Star knew the truth, she was unlikely to run away again. Failing or refusing to expand the search would only raise suspicion all around. For now, it would be best if she played along. "Is there anything else?"

"No, that's all." Omnitraxus informed her.

"Then if you'll excuse me." Moon quickly took her leave, eager to get back to sleep, unsure of how much longer she could keep her act up. She was utterly exhausted and drained from the day's events.

Hekapoo narrowed her eyes as she watched the Queen leave. Following behind her, she caught up with the silver-haired woman just as she was about to enter her private chambers. "Moon!" she called.

Moon stopped in her tracks halfway through the door, surprised to see Hekapoo had followed her back. "Is something wrong?"

"You don't really seem all that upset…" Hekapoo spoke innocuously, hiding her suspicions. "Is something wrong?"

"It's been a rough night." Moon covered her mouth as she yawned. "I can better address this in the morning."

Looking past the Queen into the room, Hekapoo caught sight of Moon's travel clothes in a crumpled pile on the floor. The woman had not left the castle at all that day. Why were her clothes out? "No, I get it. I mean, Rhombulus was kind of a pain anyways. Can't say I'll miss him all that much myself." Seeing no change in the other woman's demeanor, she continued, "Rich Pigeon is still coming tomorrow to talk. Do you think we should postpone his visit?"

"I completely forgot about it!" Having been so focused on the news of her daughter's discovery, Moon failed to make any preparations. Richard had never stated the reason for his visit other than to simply talk, but with his recent aggressive expansion, she knew it was not a visit she should turn down. It would be in Mewni's best interests if she knew what his next move and future plans would be now that he had overtaken the Kingdom of the Waterfolk. "Would you and Omnitraxus mind filling in for me? There's something urgent I have to attend to tomorrow. I'm afraid I can't put it off."

"Oh, sure. That won't be a problem."

"Thank you. Have a goodnight." Moon closed the door behind her without another word.

* * *

When Star woke up that morning, she found herself alone in her bed. She was oddly well rested, not once having been woken by a night terror. Looking around, she found Eclipsa sitting upright in her own bed, still dressed in pajamas with a book in her hands.

Noticing Star was awake, Eclipsa gave her a smile. She patted the empty spot beside her on her bed, motioning the younger girl to come join her. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel...pretty good, actually." Sure, Star may have still been a little sore from the previous day's fight, but for the first time in a long time, her head was clear. The fog that seemed to hang over her was gone. She was not confused or plagued by her forgotten memories. Everything had finally come together.

"Good, I'm glad to hear that." Eclipsa brushed a strand of hair out of Star's face, tucking it behind the girl's ear. "You've been asleep for quite some time now. We were starting to get a little worried."

"Did mom leave?" Star already knew the answer to her question, but still held a small glimmer of hope that her mother had stuck around for a bit longer.

"I'm afraid she did."

"Is she coming back?"

"She always does, doesn't she? It may be a little more difficult for her now, and she may need some time before she comes around again, but I'm sure she will," Eclipsa reassured the girl. She could tell something was weighing on Star's mind, but chose to remain silent. No good would come out of pushing Star into anything she was not ready to discuss at the moment. She instead wrapped her arm around the girl's shoulder and held her close, resting her head against Star's as they sat in silence.

"Mom?" Star addressed Eclipsa, breaking their silence after several minutes.

"Yes, dear?" Though Eclipsa responded calmly, deep down, she was overjoyed. She was not expecting Star to still refer to her as her mother after having learned the truth of her circumstances. She would have allowed the girl to refer to her by whatever name or title she wanted and been happy, but even so, she could not deny how touched she was by Star still wanting to call her 'Mom.' She actually found it adorable that the girl was referring to both her and Moon as 'Mom.'

"Are Toffee and Meteora...mad at me?" Star asked hesitantly, afraid of what the answer would be. This whole mess only happened because she ran off. They almost lost their lives because of her.

"Quite the opposite, sweetie. They're worried you're mad at them." Eclipsa was aware of the troubled past her older children shared with Star. Regardless, they had gotten along so well with Star her second time growing up. It broke her heart to think Star could fear them even after fourteen years under the same roof, but she perfectly understood why the girl would. "How do you feel about them?" she pried gently.

"I...don't know."

"Are you scared?"

"Should I be?" Star was truly torn. She did remember Toffee and Meteora trying repeatedly to hurt her, having been reliving those exact moments in her nightmares. While Meteora had never done too much to her, having mostly been targeting Marco with her as a mere aside, Toffee had outright left her to die. Yet at the same time, she remembered them caring for her as a child, playing with her, and treating her as if she actually were their baby sister. They almost died trying to save her.

"Your feelings are your own to decide."

"Are they here?"

"They are downstairs. They've been quite anxious to see you."

Without another word, Star hopped off Eclipsa's bed and headed out into the hallway, slowly coming down the stairs. She stopped a few feet from the bottom when both Toffee and Meteora turned to her from the kitchen table, having been alerted to her presence by the creaking steps.

A momentary silence hung in the air amongst the three as no one knew what to say.

Clearing the few remaining stairs with a solid jump, Star ran forward and wrapped an arm around each of them, pulling them into a group embrace. "Thank you…for saving me…for everything."

Watching from the top of the stairs, Eclipsa could not help but smile as Toffee and Meteora began comforting the girl, assuring her everything was going to be okay.

* * *

"Moon, what a surprise!" Eclipsa remarked when she saw who had knocked at her door. She had not been expecting a visit from the Queen for at least a few more months. "Please, come in."

"Thank you." Moon removed the hood from her travel cloak as she stepped inside the cottage.

"I'm afraid Star is not here right now. I had Toffee and Meteora take her out to another dimension for a small trip. She's just been cooped up in here for so long, I thought it would do her some good. Besides, I think they all needed the time together."

"Oh, that's alright." Moon knew the day's search for Star was focused on the forest; the girl would be fine in another dimension. "How is she doing?"

"Great! She slept like a log." Heading to her small kitchen, Eclipsa took the kettle off the stove and filled it with water. "They should be back fairly soon. Why don't you join me for tea in the meantime?"

"That sounds lovely, thank you."

"Sit, sit," Eclipsa insisted, motioning Moon to the table. "Tell me, how have things been in the kingdom?"

"Quite hectic. The Pigeons have been getting quite aggressive ever since Richard took the throne from his parents. I was supposed to meet with him today, but I asked Hekapoo and Omnitraxus to cover for me. I just don't want Mewni to end up with another inter-kingdom war, though it may be a little late for that now." Moon knew she really should have been at the meeting, but she could not help herself. It tore her up to have to leave her daughter in the middle of the night after such a traumatic experience. She had to come back and make sure Star was okay.

"How is Omnitraxus doing?" Eclipsa asked.

"Both he and Hekapoo are fine. They really didn't seem all that shaken up by Rhombulus' death. Omnitraxus' seems really upset with you, more so than Hekapoo. He plans to take over the search for you."

"I'm not surprised to hear that." Eclipsa gave a small laugh under her breath. "He's always had it out for me. I do not envy you in the slightest, Moon. I always hated being queen."

Before Moon could join in the lamenting, a portal suddenly appeared behind her in the living room. She watched with a smile on her face as Star stepped out, immediately followed by Toffee and Meteora.

"Mom!" Star happily shouted when she caught sight of Moon. She wasted no time running over to the woman and throwing her arms around her. "You came back!"

"Of course I did!" Moon held the girl close as she placed a kiss atop her head. "How was your trip, dear?"

"It was a lot of fun! We went to the beach!"

"I can tell," Moon remarked, brushing sand off both her face and Star's head.

"Why don't you take Star upstairs and help her clean up?" Eclipsa suggested as she took the boiling kettle off the fire. "We can always have our tea later."

"Yeah, come on, Mom!" Star grabbed her mother's arm, pulling her out of her chair and dragging her towards the stairs.

Moon only laughed, allowing herself to be led up the stairs and into the bathroom. She removed her gloves as Star ran out of the room, quickly returning with a chair.

Star pushed the chair over to the sink, turning it so its back was to the bowl. Taking a seat, she removed her hair ribbon and leaned back, pulling all her hair into the basin.

Turning the faucet on, Moon adjusted the knobs until the water was at a comfortably warm temperature. Reaching into the basin, she began scrubbing away at Star's scalp, doing her best to free any trapped sand particles from her daughter's endlessly long blonde hair.

From her lying position, Star could not help but stare at her mother's darkened arms; a reminder of what her own would one day look like. "Mom, do your arms bother you?"

"Why do you ask that? Are your arms hurting you?" Moon knew from experience that using the darkest spell did cause some mild pain, but it only lasted a few minutes. Star should not be in pain almost twenty-four hours out from casting the spell.

"No, not physically hurting, but like...in your head? Do you think about them a lot?" Star paused for a moment, a slight frown on her face. "Do people...notice? Do they stare?"

"Were people staring?"

"They were…until Meteora scared them off," Star added with a chuckle.

Moon was upset for Star, having gone through the same thing herself. She recalled how self-conscious it made her feel anytime she caught the castle staff or commission staring at her arms. Though no one ever said anything directly to her, Moon knew how disturbed everyone was by the markings, well aware of the fact they were a result of dark magic. She eventually remedied the problem by wearing gloves and word of what lay underneath never reached the general public.

"Here," Moon quickly dried her hands and reached for her gloves, handing them to Star. "Why don't you take these?"

Star accepted her mother's white gloves, putting them on and pulling them to the top of her arms. She silently stared at her covered arms, wiggling her fingers about as if to test out the feel of the fabric.

"You'll get used to them eventually," Moon assured her as she returned to washing the girl's hair. "The markings are harmless. Everything will be alright, you'll see."

Though still upset, Star could not deny she felt a little better. "Thanks, Mom."

* * *

 **Reviews are much appreciated!**


	6. This Means War

**Welcome back**

* * *

"Queen Moon!"

Said Queen shot up into the air with a startled shout, knocking her blankets off herself in the process. "Buff Frog…?" she asked wearily, only able to make out the shadowy figure of her Monster Expert from the light spilling into her room. "That's it. First thing tomorrow, I'm getting a lock put on my door."

"Queen Moon! Sorry for rude awakening, but is emergency!" Buff Frog huffed, completely out of breath. "Kingdom is under attack by Pigeons!"

"Pigeons? No, it can't be." Moon could not think of any reason why Richard would strike. Hekapoo and Omnitraxus told her the meeting with Richard had gone very well with no mention of any future plans for expansion being made by the bird.

"I am afraid so. Look out window."

Doing just that, Moon covered her mouth in shock. From her room, she could see Pigeon forces marching in from all around. They were not alone, followed closely by knights from both the Spider-Bite and Waterfolk kingdoms. Torches illuminated their approaching figures, revealing battalions of thousands. They were currently just outside the natural moat that protected the Butterfly Kingdom, but she knew it would not be much longer before they crossed into the town.

Rushing to her wardrobe, Moon threw open the doors, reaching for her armor. She quickly dressed herself, tying her hair into a single braid which she threw behind her back. Setting her crown upon her head, she took off into the castle, shouting orders to her guards as she ran. "Scramble the knights! Call the Magical High Commission!"

"Buff Frog!" Moon stopped in her tracks, noticing he intended to follow her out onto the potential battlefield. "I have a special mission for you; I need you to evacuate the castle. Make sure all the servants and non-military staff get out safely." If the Pigeons were going to push forward, they would definitely be storming the castle. Her knights and warriors may have been ready and trained for battle, but her domestic employees certainly were not. "And get your children to safety too. That's an order!"

"Yes, Queen Moon!" The Monster gave a quick salute to the woman before rushing back into the castle.

Taking off once more, Moon headed outside to the stables, where many of her mounted soldiers were already waiting for her. Hopping onto a warnicorn, she raced out to meet the invading forces head on, keeping her most trusted knights following close behind her.

Racing through the town, Moon and her knights dodged and weaved through the confused and panicking peasants, quickly reaching the edge of the kingdom. Finally arriving at the moat, she was dismayed to find Richard's forces had begun crossing the water with the King Pigeon himself already on the other side.

"Ah, Queen Moon!" Rich Pigeon greeted the woman happily, as if he were seeing an old friend. "Just the person I wanted to see!"

Moon stepped off her warnicorn to better face Richard. Standing tall, she began approaching the fellow royal, paying no mind to the angry cooing coming from his soldiers. "What is the meaning of this, Richard?!" she demanded, her voice solid and unwavering.

"I don't believe I am the one with some explaining to do," Rich Pigeon responded smugly. "You see, I had a very enlightening discussion with the Magical High Commission in your absence the other day. Terribly sorry you couldn't be there; it was quite the informative experience for both sides. You see, I had originally planned this meeting between us because I was rather concerned about the recent reports I've been getting from my agents."

A silence filled the air as if Rich Pigeon was waiting for Moon to respond. Though the Queen was filled with dread, unsure of what was to come, she kept a stoic expression on her face, waiting patiently for the pigeon to continue.

"Queen Moon, where is your wand?" Rich Pigeon shifted gears.

"What?"

"You don't have your wand. I always thought it peculiar how it was nowhere to be seen after Star's death. Almost as peculiar as what my agents found in the forest. I've been receiving reports from several scouts about sightings of your daughter, Star Butterfly. I don't suppose you would know anything about that now, would you?"

Even as her heart skipped a beat, fearing for her daughter, Moon made no move.

"Quite a shame; what happened to Rhombulus," Richard continued, knowing he was getting under the woman's skin. "How is Star? I was hoping to find her myself, but my agents had to pull back for safety reasons that night, though not before they caught sight of you running into the forest with Eclipsa's half-breed child. The commission was quite surprised to hear you were associating with Meteora. Almost as surprised as I was to learn Star was still alive. Tell me, Moon, where is your daughter?"

"Just state your business!" Moon finally broke her silence, keeping her proud figure even as her soldiers began whispering and murmuring to one another.

"Well...I suppose my business is yours. I want your throne."

"Excuse me?"

"You see, Moon. I've been talking with the other royal families and we just haven't been pleased with your performance as Queen of Mewni." Rich Pigeon began pacing back and forth in front of Moon as he spoke. "The others are quite upset with your growing tolerance for the Monsters and their encroachment onto their lands. We've had it with your secrets that threaten the stability and safety of our own kingdoms. You've been colluding with Eclipsa, the Queen of Darkness, a wanted criminal whose power could very well threaten your own subjects! You've kept not only her location a secret, but the location of her two wanted children as well. Furthermore, you openly lied to us, to your people, about your daughter and had us all believing she was dead. But, then again, I really shouldn't be surprised, should I? This is not the first time you've kept secrets from us now, is it?"

The murmurs behind Moon grew louder and angrier in tone.

"You can't fight us, Moon." Rich Pigeon gestured to the massive army he had brought with him. "Star has your wand and you are powerless without it. Your deviceless magic is not strong enough to hold off an entire invasion single-handedly. Your forces are outnumbered. I do not want to fight you and so I ask you peacefully surrender your throne to me."

Moon was astounded. The gall Richard had to march into her kingdom in the middle of the night and demand her crown, her very birthright! "Never!" she responded with a resounding shout that echoed all around.

"Very well. I am sorry to hear that." Rich Pigeon unfolded his wing, pointing it straight at Castle Butterfly. "Charge!"

While Richard may have been right about her not having the wand, Moon would not be fighting him single-handedly. Her knights came charging from behind her with a mighty roar, putting aside their anger momentarily to defend their homes and families against the invading army.

Giving her warnicorn a sharp slap, Moon sent it galloping forward into the fray, hoping it would at the very least knock some of the enemy soldiers down. It was a desperate move, no doubt, but the Queen was desperate. Unable to call the entire Butterfly army together on such short notice, her forces were outnumbered and unprepared for a full-scale invasion. Chances of victory were slim. Regardless, she was not about to hand her throne or her kingdom over so easily. If the Pigeons wanted her kingdom, they would have to pry it from her cold, dead hands.

Her hands glowing with blue magic, Moon raised her arms to strike. Just before she could unleash her first blast of magical energy, she found herself suddenly swept off her feet with a sharp tackle. Gathering her bearings, she realized she was being carried away from the fight by a familiar pair of arms. " _Yvgeny Bulgolyubov, you put me down this instant_!"

Moon must have been really angry to use his real name, but that did not stop Buff Frog. "Queen Moon, all respects given, you fight losing battle. You serve better purpose to Mewmans and Monsters alive than dead. We go somewhere safe, regroup, come up with plan, and then take kingdom back. Besides, if what bird-boy says is true, if Star still alive, she need you."

Though she wanted to return and fight, Moon knew he was right. From her spot under Buff Frog's arm, she looked behind them, watching as Richard's army stormed into the town. She could hear the chaos unfolding as screams filled the night, her subjects no doubt crying in fear as they woke up to the horrors of a violent invasion.

Running a hand through her hair, Moon stopped, noticing something was off. "Buff Frog, my crown!" she cried, looking behind her once more in hopes of spotting it.

"You get it later, is not important right now!"

Defeated and dejected, Moon resigned herself to being carried away. She had no idea what Rich Pigeon wanted with Star or what his motivations were for deposing not one, but two, royal families in such a short amount of time, but for now, she had to leave it be. She had a more important matter to attend to.

* * *

Waking from her sleep, Eclipsa heard a loud, urgent knocking coming from downstairs. Sitting up in her bed, she gazed out the window at the pitch black sky, wondering what was going on. Moon was the only other person who knew about the cottage, but she never came this late at night. Something had to have been terribly wrong.

Getting up, the green-haired woman found the bed across from hers already empty. She could see Star in the hallway, held back by Toffee's hands on her shoulders; no doubt trying to stop her from answering the door. Passing by the two, she instructed the girl, "Stay here."

Quickly making her way down the stairs, Eclipsa found Meteora had beaten her to the door, having already opened it to let the Queen in. "Oh, Moon," she remarked in surprise at the sight of the woman before her. "What happened?"

Moon's hair was completely down and untied, her face was scraped up as if she had taken a nasty fall, and she was not dressed in her usual travel outfit, but her battle armor, which look liked it had taken a quite a few hits itself.

"Eclipsa!" The Queen's voice was panicked as she spoke. "I'm so sorry to barge in at this hour, but I must speak with you urgently!"

"Mom?!" Star's frightened voice caught the attention of the three women downstairs.

"Hello...sweetie." Moon forced a smile for Star's sake as she gave the girl a small wave, trying her best not to worry her daughter though she knew that would be difficult with both her disheveled appearance and battle gear.

"Take her to your room, would you please?" Eclipsa asked Meteora under her breath, knowing she and Moon would need privacy.

Meteora nodded, heading upstairs and ushering the protesting Star into her room where she could keep a close eye on her.

"Are you alright?" Eclipsa led Moon to the kitchen, taking a seat across from the Queen.

"The Pigeons have taken over the Butterfly Kingdom. They deposed me."

Eclipsa was stunned. She had no idea what to say. She had dealt with the threat of war and actually fought during her time as queen, but she had never been deposed. Well, at least not by another ruling family. No queen in the history of Mewni had ever lost the throne or the kingdom to outside forces. Sure, there had been attempts to take the crown throughout history, but never a successful one. "I'm sorry to hear that," she finally spoke. "We can't help you with your war or kingdom, but you're more than welcome to stay here if you need a place to crash."

Moon could have almost chuckled at the woman's offer if not for the gravity of the situation. "Thank you, but I'll be alright. I came here not because I needed a place to sleep, but for Star. Richard, the King of the Pigeons, knows Star is alive and has his men are out searching for her. I don't know exactly why, but...I think he may have orchestrated tonight's attack with the help of the Magical High Commission. It sounds like they knew he would be coming and did nothing to warn me. I think he may want to get rid of Star because he sees her as a threat to his claim to the throne. They spotted Meteora and I traveling through the forest before and I don't know if they've found this place or not, but they're closer than the commission ever was to doing so."

With the Pigeon Kingdom having only recently come into existence, Eclipsa could not say she knew much about them as a royal family. Last she saw of them, they were merely creatures of the land, traveling wherever they pleased. She used to feed them all the time at both the castle and the Monster Temple, and though they never spoke to her, she had always had a feeling they could understand what she was saying to them. Still, if they were willing to overthrow not one, but two royal families, they were clearly not afraid to fight. Perhaps the creatures were not as docile as she had always thought them to be. "What do you want to do?"

"We have to move Star."

While the idea of being away from her daughter broke her heart, Eclipsa would do anything to keep Star safe. "I agree, but where will we take her?" If the Pigeons were working with the commission and they knew of her secret home, it would only be a matter of time before they came storming in. Not only that, now that the commission had shown their hand, she and Moon would have to take drastic actions. They were going to have to find some way to put a permanent end to the Magical High Commission; a task which would be much easier to accomplish if Star was out of the commission's reach.

"I know of somewhere."

* * *

Waking up to the light coming in through his window, Marco could feel his head pounding. He had no idea what time it was, but judging by the barely lit sky, it still had to be very early in the morning. He had no idea why his curtains were open. He must have left them open last night before going out.

Too lazy to actually get up and close them, Marco rolled over, trying his best to fall back asleep. Though barely any light was coming through, he found himself flopping around, pulling his pillow over his face in an attempt block out the annoying glow. With a defeated sigh, he got up. He rubbed his eyes as he made his way over to the window only for his foot to get caught under something. In a moment, he found himself crashing to the floor.

"Tom!" Marco angrily shouted, noticing what, or rather who, he had tripped over. "What are you doing in my room?!"

"Five more minutes," the demon mumbled, turning over on the floor, not yet fully awake.

He must have been too drunk to find his own room after their outing last night. "That's it, no more late-night benders with you." Dusting himself off as he picked himself up, Marco froze in shock at the sight before him. "Queen Moon!"

Marco had no idea what the Queen of Mewni was doing in his bedroom at this hour, or who the cloaked figure beside her was, but he was mortifyingly embarrassed. The room was a total disaster with clothes and trash strewn about everywhere, and the rest of the apartment was no better. He and Tom were in pitiful half-drunken states, not yet having showered or cleaned themselves up for the day and said demon was still sprawled out on the floor, blissfully unaware of their unexpected guest.

"Wake up!" Marco hissed under his breath at the sleeping demon as he delivered a swift kick to his abdomen. "Queen Moon, I'm so sorry about this," he tried apologizing to the older woman, doing his best to kick a pile of dirty laundry under his bed and out of her sight.

"Dude, what the hell?!" Tom all but jumped up, wide-awake, ready to return the favor. He stopped in his tracks when he too caught sight of their visitor. "Queen Moon!"

"Boys, please, relax," Moon insisted, well aware of the fact she was here both uninvited and unannounced. "I'm sorry for dropping by like this, but I desperately need your help." Setting her hand on Star's back and gently nudging her forward, she removed the hood from her daughter's head.

"Star!" Tom and Marco both gasped in surprise, frozen in place. Neither one of them knew how to react. They thought she was dead, yet here she stood before them, looking exactly as they last saw her fourteen years ago.

Star was equally surprised at the sight of her two best friends. She knew fourteen years had passed, but the realization that time had moved on without her only struck her now as she gazed at the two boys, now men, towering over her. "Hi..." was all she could muster out in her shocked state. She suddenly found herself wrapped in a crushing embrace as Marco swept her off her feet.

"Star!" Marco cried happily, throwing the girl into the air. "I can't believe you're here! I...I don't know what to say!" He was not entirely sure he was even still awake. This had to have been some weird fever dream. Even if Star had not actually died, there was no way she would still be a teenager after all these years.

The blonde girl laughed as she was effortlessly caught by her old friend, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders in a hug. She was so happy to see him again.

Running his hand through her hair as if to ensure the girl were actually there, Marco pressed her close to him. He still remembered the day when Moon had announced the girl's death. It had absolutely crushed him and Tom. That day was the first time he had ever seen the demon cry. He himself spent days mourning over the girl with no idea what happened to her. One day they had been running around Mewni on yet another adventure and suddenly the next morning...she was gone.

Getting over the death of his best friend was the hardest thing Marco ever had to do in his life. A cloud of sorrow seemed to hang over the entirety of Mewni as the kingdoms mourned the loss of their princess. Being in the castle only caused him further pain as everything served to remind him that Star was gone. Eventually, he could not take it anymore. Roughly a week after Star's death, he approached Moon and asked for her blessings to go home. With a hug and a promise he would still come back and visit, she sent him on his way. It took time, but the pain eventually began to heal. He went back to school on Earth, kept in close contact with his friends on Mewni, and continued to take things a day at a time. Having her here in his arms once more, he was almost certain he was going to start crying.

"Let me see her." Tom took Star from Marco's arms, giving her a crushing hug of his own. "You remember me, right?"

Star smiled as she placed her hands on the demon's cheeks, laughing at his hopeful expression. Though she was already aware of what Marco looked like as an adult thanks to his travels with Hekapoo, she could still easily recognize Tom by his distinctive horns and three eyes. "Of course, I remember you, Tom! You're so tall now!" She could not help but be in awe as he stood at least a foot taller than Marco. "And ripped!" she added, poking his bicep.

"And you haven't changed a bit!" he playfully retorted, swinging her around.

Taking advantage of the fact Star was distracted by Tom, Moon turned to Marco, speaking quietly, "I'm afraid I can't stay long, so I will be brief. Things have gone south in Mewni, as I'm sure you and Thomas will no doubt soon hear. I realize Star being here is sudden and shocking, but I need you two to watch over her and keep her safe. There are people back on Mewni looking for Star; looking to hurt her. Please, keep her hidden here on Earth. Let no one from Mewni see or know she's here, especially not Hekapoo. I will explain everything in due time, but for now, please trust me."

"Of course." Marco could tell by Moon's voice the woman was deeply troubled by whatever was going on. Hundreds of questions were running through his mind, but he knew they would have to wait.

"Please, I beg of you," Moon reiterated, "don't let her out of your sight. I can't lose her again."

"I'll protect her with my life, Queen Moon," Marco assured her, knowing exactly how she felt. "You have my word."

"Thank you, Marco." Moon placed her hands atop his in gratitude. Before she could continue, she was interrupted by a tug on the skirt of her armor.

"Mom," Star looked to the woman with sad eyes, "are you leaving?" Though she was delighted to reunite with Tom and Marco, the girl still had no idea what was going on or why her mother had brought her to Earth. As much as she loved her friends, she did not want to be away from her family, especially not Moon after only recently learning who the woman really was to her. She did not even understand why she had to be away from them with everything happening so suddenly.

Kneeling down so she was at her daughter's level, Moon placed a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. "Yes, dear, I'm afraid I have to. Don't be sad, this is only temporary. I promise I will come back for you as soon as I can. Tom and Marco will take good care of you in the meantime."

As much as Star wanted to object, she knew it would not be of any use. She could only hold onto her mother in a long hug that she knew would end too soon.

"I love you, Star," Moon whispered into her daughter's hair as she embraced her. "Goodbye."

Knowing she was far too old to be crying at the sight of her mother leaving, Star did her best to hold back her tears as she watched the woman cut open a portal and disappear.

* * *

 **This chapter came out just in time, I had an anon ask me last week where Marco was. Here he is!**

 **Review please!**


	7. Old Friends

**Welcome back!**

* * *

"Was she brought back from the dead?" Marco asked as he peeked at the girl through the slightly ajar door.

"I don't think so." Tom stood above Marco, also stealing another glance at the girl. "Only demons can do that and we can't really bring people back. We kind of just temporarily reanimate their corpses. She doesn't look like a corpse."

Lacking any decent food in the place, they had poured Star a bowl of cereal for breakfast and seated her in the kitchen while they hid away in Tom's room, trying to figure out their next course of action. While they had both immediately agreed not to press the girl for information about her disappearance, instead choosing to allow her to approach them when and if she wanted to, they still had the issue of what to physically do with her. They were not exactly prepared to accommodate a third person.

"What do you want to do?" Tom asked, completely at a loss for ideas.

"I guess we'll take her to work with us." Marco did not see any other option. He promised Moon he would not let the girl out of his sight, but he still had to make a living. "Are you still going to the Underworld today?"

"No way, I can't leave now. I'll just tell my parents something came up, they can host a dinner without me. It'll be fine." Like Marco, Tom was quite hesitant to leave Star. It was strange, but he feared she would disappear for good if he left. So wonderstruck by her miraculous return, he felt compelled to stay and make sure nothing would happen to her this time around. "I'm with you, let's take her with us."

Finally exiting Tom's room, the two joined the young princess in the kitchen.

"How are you feeling?" Marco could not help but notice the girl had not once cracked a smile since her mother left hours ago. "Hey, what's that on your arm?" he shifted gears, noticing the dark markings on the underside of her wrists.

Star suddenly lurched back when she saw Marco reaching for her arms, pulling them close to her chest and out of his reach. "It's nothing!"

Though he still had his worries, Marco accepted her answer and put his hands back in his lap. Something was obviously wrong, but he was not going to push the matter if it clearly made her uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry. It's fine. I'm fine." Star did her best to smile, hoping to assure her friend everything was okay. While she was still upset over the recent happenings and suddenly being pulled away from her family, she did not want to worry her friends.

"Hey!" Tom slammed his hands on the table, startling both Star and Marco. "Do you want to go to work with us?" Marco was going about this all wrong with his depressing tone. Star was always an adventures spirit, he knew she would jump at the opportunity to see or try something new with them.

The girl's face instantly picked up. "You work?" she asked, though not directed at either men in particular.

"I've gotta pay for this place somehow." Marco shrugged.

"You'll love it, it's great. Go get dressed," Tom encouraged her with a ruffle of her blonde hair. "Your mom left you a bag in Marco's room."

Not needing to be told twice, Star took off, leaping over her seat and heading to Marco's room. Closing the door behind her, she located the gray duffel bag her mother had brought with them and unzipped it. Reaching in for any random dress, she stopped in her tracks when she saw the contents of the bag.

Inside were all her old dresses; the ones she had bought when she first came to Earth. They were clean and pressed without any of the usual fading that came with age. Rummaging through the bag some more, she found her horned headband, her star purse, and surprisingly, her old cellphone. Flipping open the compact-mirror phone, she found it fully charged and exactly as she left it, same home screen picture and all. Had her mom simply held onto her things all these years?

Star found it rather touching. It was almost like her mom was just waiting for her to come home.

Grabbing what was once her usual dress, she quickly changed out of her pajamas.

* * *

"You work here?!" Star squealed in delight, cupping her hands around her eyes to get a better look through the tinted window.

"I don't just work here, I own the place!" Marco beamed proudly, unlocking the front door while motioning the girl to come inside.

"Oh my gosh, this is amazing!" Star gushed, stepping into the open area. "You have your own karate dojo!"

The place was simple, set up like any other dojo. It had a large, sectioned-off open floor-space completely covered in mats which took up most of the interior room. The perimeter of the room was carpeted with benches lining the right-side wall for parents and spectators to sit. To the left was a small, closed-off office space with cubbies stationed outside for the students to place their shoes.

"Where is everyone?" Star asked, taking note of the obvious lack of students.

"We're not officially open for another half-hour. I just come early to set-up and get everything ready for the day." Marco unlocked the office, flipping the switches to turn all the dojo lights on. The only time of the year he opened in the mornings was summer. With schools out, parents needed somewhere to put their kids while they worked, and so the dojo's summer camp program was forced to start early. "They'll start trickling in soon."

"Hey, Star!" Tom called to the girl, his head sticking out of the back hallway. "Come help me get the mats."

"Sure!" Star skipped happily to the demon, eager to see what else the dojo had to hold.

* * *

"Hey!" Marco quickly snapped, grabbing hold of the child's ankle mid-kick. "Trevor, we are aiming for the targets. Not your partner's face," his voiced was sharp and firm, leaving no room for question.

"Oh, sorry, Sensei. I just lost my footing." Trevor gave a sheepish smile with his lie, hoping Marco would let go of his foot pretty soon because he was about to fall over.

Marco narrowed his eyes, not buying into the boy's story for a minute. "I'm watching you, Trevor. No funny business." Releasing the kid's foot, he turned his attention back to Star. He knew she was there, but it still took him by surprise every time he looked up and saw her just sitting there. Even though he had no plans to press the girl for an explanation, he still could not help but wonder what had happened.

Did she time travel from the past here? Is that why the girl had not aged a day? Maybe she was frozen by Rhombulus. But then again, why would he do that? It could have been time dilation, kind of like what happens to him when he travels to Hekapoo's dimension. It really could have been anything, he had no idea. With magic involved, there was nothing he could definitively rule out.

Catching him looking her way, Star gave Marco a smile. She had spent the past few hours sitting along the benches lining the wall, alternating between watching the day's activities and going through all the old pictures on her phone.

As happy as she was to relive her old memories, she could not deny the stinging feeling they left in her heart. All these friends were grown up now. Some could have moved away, gotten married, and started families. And she was not there for any of it. Marco had graduated high school and started his own business, but she was not there to see it. For all she knew, Tom could have been crowned king of the Underworld, and she would not have been there to cheer him on. Everything had just...continued without her.

Marco felt guilty watching the girl just sit there. She actually seemed a little upset as she flipped through her phone. He wished there was something she could do, no doubt bored out of her mind. "Alright, let's take a ten minute break!" he announced loudly to his students, walking out of the practice area. He made his way over to Star, hoping to ease her boredom with a bit of company.

Taking a seat beside the girl, he realized he had no idea what to say. Not having had much of a chance to talk earlier, he was still unsure of how to start any kind of a conversation with her. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine," she answered, her eyes looking over the dojo. "So you really own this place? And you teach karate every day?"

"Yup. Except weekends."

"Do you like doing it?"

"Yeah, I guess I do." Marco was never able to picture himself sitting through four years of university only to slave away working some desk job. He had worked several different jobs after graduating high school before deciding to open his own dojo. Sure, sometimes the kids and parents could be a pain, but he actually liked martial arts and got to spend the whole day doing what he loved. Setting his own hours and not having to answer to any boss was a big plus as well.

"Will you teach me?"

Marco was surprised by Star's request. She had never been interested in karate before. In fact, she had always held a certain dislike for the sport since it took time away from them hanging out together. Even so, he was more than happy to oblige. It would at the very least give her something to do. "Sure. Hey, Tom! Grab a spare uniform from the back for Star. She's joining the class."

* * *

"Hey, how come I don't get a blue belt like Tom?" Star asked as she tried to stab a piece of chicken with her chopsticks. Her karate uniform had come with a white belt, and though stylish, she felt the blue one better matched her eyes.

"If you want the blue belt, you have to earn it. Just like Tom did." The day had gone pretty well in Marco's opinion. Star had done great in class, no stranger to fighting herself. Though she had been more interested in talking with the other students, on occasion disrupting the class while doing so, he did not mind. It was nice to see her back to her usual happy, chatty self.

"Since when do you do karate, Tom?" the blonde girl asked the demon, still skeptical of why she could not have the coveted blue garment.

"Since it got me out of the Underworld and my parents off my back!" While Tom had never been concerned with what was expected of him as prince, the same could not be said for his parents. Now that he was getting older and likely not too far away from becoming King of the Underworld himself, they were constantly on his back to become more involved with the operations of the kingdom, to find a partner who could someday be queen, and to keep open ties with the other Mewman kingdoms. He knew he would one day have to step up and fulfil those duties, but until he was actually crowned king, he was going to enjoy every moment of what little freedom he had left.

In the meantime, Tom had his parents convinced his time on Earth was in preparation of becoming king. He had spun a tale of strict spiritual and physical training through the ancient Earth-art of karate, insisting mastery of the martial art would help him better rule over his soon-to-be subjects.

In reality, the demon was spending most of his time on Earth messing around and hanging out with his good friend, and now roommate, Marco. At first, he had had no interest in learning any karate, but he eventually warmed up to the idea after some insistence from his human friend. He was already spending all of his time in a dojo anyways, why not make some use of it?

"When did you two become roommates?" Star continued her questioning.

"Oh, some time ago. It was Marco's doing, really. He just couldn't bear to be without me," Tom playfully teased. "Not that I blame him. I am pretty awesome."

"Me?!" Marco questioned, bewildered by Tom's version of the event. "You were the one begging to move in, complaining how you couldn't stand your parents and needed to get away from Mewman politics!"

"Hey, I could easily afford my own place. I don't need you."

"I don't need you either, I had the apartment before you came along! What makes you think I need your help?"

"Well, I work in your dojo, don't I?"

"I think you and I have different definitions of the word 'work.' You're just here to goof off with the kids. It makes lessons a lot harder, you know."

"I can't help it if they like me more than they like you."

The two stopped their bickering, interrupted by the laughter that sprang from Star.

"You know," she sputtered out between her giggles, "I'm really glad you two are still good friends."

"Aw shucks." Now it was Marco's turn to tease his friend as he playfully punched the demon in the arm. "You're making Tom blush."

Noticing they were practically done with their meal, Tom called for the tab. "Say, Marco, Star hasn't seen Echo Creek in some time now. Why don't we all go for a ride?"

* * *

"Be careful, Tom," Marco called out worryingly as he rode behind the demon on his own bike. Star was perched on the back of Tom's bike, standing on the bike pegs with her arms wrapped around the demon's waist. He had wished she would have agreed to ride with him. Tom could be really reckless when he rode his bike, not understanding why he, Prince of the Underworld, had to comply with Earth traffic laws.

"Are you still Mr. Safety?" Star teased him, letting go of Tom and spinning around to face Marco.

"Star, don't do that!" Marco could not help himself, feeling a panic rise within him at the sight of her relying solely on her balance not to fall off the moving bike. If she fell, she could have gotten seriously hurt! Tom was going a little faster than he liked.

"Star, hold on tight," Tom laughed, turning around to give Marco a wink.

Marco only gave an aggravated sigh in response, watching with disapproval as Tom jumped the bike onto the hand railing beside him, riding it to the end before gracefully dropping back onto the ground.

Star squealed in delight when they landed, cheering, "Again, again!"

"Alright, you two," Marco hesitantly spoke, particularly worried about the fact Star was not wearing a helmet, "you've had your fun. Let's just enjoy the ride. We're supposed to be showing Star the town."

Whether the magical duo did not hear him or simply chose to ignore him, Marco did not know, but his worry only grew when he saw Star draw her wand.

"Go faster!" Star ordered Tom as she began using her wand to make small bumps and ramps appear in the road. "Do more tricks!"

"Whatever you say, Princess." Tom pedaled faster, climbing atop one of the ramps Star conjured. Giving Marco another taunting wink, he kicked off the top, allowing the bike to build momentum as they came down the ramp.

"I regret ever taking you to the skate park!" Marco yelled in vain, knowing nothing he could say would stop the demon. All he could do was follow behind and pray they did not get themselves killed.

Tom looped around when they hit the pavement once more, riding in circles around Marco as Star laughed.

"You're not going to stop, are you?"

Star spun around once more, facing Marco with a mischievous grin as she grabbed hold of his handlebars.

"Star…" Marco cautioned, "what are you doing?"

Using the handlebars as leverage, Star jumped off the back of Tom's seat, flipping over Marco and wrapping her arms around his back as she landed on his bike pegs.

"Star, don't do that!" Marco scolded, though he was glad to finally have her away from Tom. Gently pulling at the brake, he finally let go of the anxious breath he had been holding. "Let's just take it nice and slow, okay? Enjoy the sights."

"Boo! Boring!" Tom jokingly taunted, slowing down to meet Marco's pace. A huge smile suddenly graced the demon's face.

"Uh...something funny, Tom?" Marco asked, made nervous once more by his friend's mischievous expression. He was really starting to regret agreeing to this bike ride.

What Marco failed to see was Star raising her wand from behind his back. Keeping one arm secure around the man's waist, she positioned her wand directly behind her, shouting, "Rainbow rocket blast!"

Suddenly, Marco found himself gripping the handlebars for dear life as his bike shot forward against his will. "Star, stop!" They were moving too fast for him to be able to actually maneuver the bike. His crushing grip on the brakes did nothing as they continued moving forward. If anything or anyone got in their way, it would make for a nasty collision for all parties involved.

Laughing, Star finally heeded Marco's pleas and cut off her spell, allowing them to come to a full stop. Hearing her friend suddenly gasp, she looked up to see they had stopped in the middle of the intersection with cars approaching them quickly. In her panic, she simply cast a random spell, allowing her wand to take the lead.

The two were thrown off the bike as something impacted them, but the blow and landing was much softer than expected.

Looking around, Star found herself both resting on and buried underneath a massive pile of pillows. Kicking several off herself, she sat up to see dozens of confused people doing the same, wondering what had happened to their cars and where all these pillows had come from.

"Marco! Marco!" Star began digging through the pile of cushions in search of her friend. "Marco, are you okay?!"

"I'm fine…" a mumbled response came from just beside the girl.

Following the sound of his voice, Star shoved several pillows aside, uncovering a dazed, but unharmed, Marco.

"Magic," Marco sighed, "the cause of and answer to all my problems. Just like old times."

"I'm sorry." Star fidgeted with her wand, worried Marco would be upset with her.

"It's fine," Marco chuckled. "It was actually kind of fun." Well, it was up until the 'almost died' part, but he did not need to rub it in further. Star already looked like she was feeling guilty enough. He actually kind of missed all the magical shenanigans he and Star used to get into. "Just promise me no more magic for now, okay?"

"Okay."

"Now let's get out of here. People are going to start asking us questions if we hang around."

* * *

"Whoa, that's so cool!" Star was absolutely blown away. What she had at first thought was a simple couch was actually a bed. But it was also a couch! The bed was hiding in the couch! "What kind of magic is this?"

Marco chuckled at her reaction, amazed someone who actually had the power of magic at her fingertips could be blown away by something as boring as a sofa bed. It was not much, but it was all he and Tom had for the girl on such short notice. "Come on, let's get you tucked in."

Star jumped atop the freshly made bed, rolling around in the pile of pillows Tom had brought out. "But it's so early!"

"We've got to be up bright and early for work tomorrow." Marco explained, shooting a quick glance at the clock. It was ten at night. Sure, it was earlier than he and Star used to sleep as teenagers, but it was not _that_ early.

"Every day? You go every day?"

"Not every day, just five days a week. It's a lot like school, but less fun and more soul-crushing."

Star frowned at Marco's response, upset to hear he was unhappy with his job. "I thought you said you liked it?"

"No, it's a joke. I love it," he reassured her with a playful ruffle of her blonde hair.

"Hey, Marco," Star began hesitantly, "do you know if my mom is coming back tomorrow?" Even though she had had a blast with Tom and Marco, she could not help but miss and worry about her mother.

"I don't know, but I hope she does," he answered honestly, not wanting to raise the girl's hopes only to have them crushed. Marco himself was worried about Moon, still unsure of what was going on in Mewni. He had been tempted to portal over there after ensuring Star was asleep, but decided against it. If things were as bad as Moon made them appear, it would be best if he stayed with the young princess to keep her safe. Who knew what kind of things or people could be after her. "Hey, tell you what. My parents are spending summer in Mexico visiting my grandparents, but what if we go visit them when they get back?"

Star smiled. She had almost forgotten about Rafael and Angie. "Yeah, I'd like that."

"They missed you. I bet they'll be so happy to see you. Now, come on. Time to sleep. Do you need anything before I go?"

Star shook her head 'no.' "I'm all good."

"Alright. You know where my and Tom's rooms are. Just give a knock if you need anything." Marco wrapped his arms around the girl, giving her a hug. "Goodnight."

Star happily returned the gesture, wrapping her arms around Marco. Though she desperately missed her family, she could not deny she felt a little better knowing her friends were right there for her. "Goodnight."

* * *

 **Review Please!**


	8. Even Older Friends

**Welcome back!**

* * *

Opening her eyes, Star found herself floating in a familiar location. Sitting up in the shallow golden water, a sense of dread filled her as she realized she was back in the Realm of Magic. Desperate to leave, her heart began pounding as she searched for a portal, an exit, or any other way out of the dimension.

Standing up, Star almost immediately collapsed into the water as an ear-splitting, high-pitched shrieking noise filled the air. Covering her ears, she searched around the empty realm for the source of the scream. It sounded like a girl crying, but it was not any voice she recognized. "Hello?!" she called out to no response.

Gritting her teeth, Star rose up once more and followed the sound of the screaming, pushing herself to move forward as the voice grew louder and increasingly unbearable with each step. Whoever it was, it sounded like they were in absolute agony.

After what seemed like hours of walking, she finally spotted a figure in the distance. She could not quite make out who it was, but she kept going, worried whoever it was needed help.

Her fears were confirmed when the voice shouted, "Help me!" The distant figure's cries grew louder as her pleas for help were repeated incessantly, starting to sound more like an order than a request.

"I'm trying!" Star cried in frustration, her eardrums pounding, about to burst from the thunderous roar echoing all around. She collapsed into the shallow water, unable to move forward due to the pain wracking her body.

The water began swirling, forming a small whirlpool around her. Before Star could even reach in to touch the flowing water, it suddenly began rising. Trying her best to stay afloat, but too weakened by the deafening noises, she found herself unable to swim as the water quickly rose past her chest and to her nose.

* * *

Star awoke with a piercing scream. Looking around the room, she found herself back in Marco and Tom's apartment, lying in her bed. It was just another nightmare.

So why could she still hear the screaming?

The girl furiously kicked the sheets and blankets off herself as she sat up. She grabbed at her hair, her ears, trying anything she could to get the torturous noise to stop.

In an instant, both Marco and Tom were by the girl's side, each awoken by her screams.

"Star, what's wrong?" Tom asked, searching her over for any injuries. She seemed fine physically.

"Make it stop!" Star begged.

"Make what stop, Star?" Marco tried his best to conceal his panicking as he tried to figure out what was wrong. He had seen Star go through mewberty, through dipping down, through near-death experiences, but he had never seen anything like this. "Is this some kind of Mewman thing?" he asked, turning to Tom. The demon was better acquainted with the magical world than he was, maybe he had some idea of what was going on.

"I don't know," Tom admitted as he wrapped his arms around Star and rubbed her back, trying to comfort her in her fit. "What do we do?"

Looking at the coffee table pushed to the side of Star's bed, Marco's eyes fell on the girl's cellphone. Reaching for it, he quickly opened it and flipped through the contacts. Scrolling until he found 'Mom' he clicked on the contact, muttering under his breath, "Please pick up, please pick up."

"Hello?" Eclipsa answered as her face appeared on the phone's screen.

"Eclipsa!" Marco realized he should have been more specific with his wish. The evil Queen of Darkness was the last person he wanted to see right now. "Where's Moon?! Are you behind this?! What have you done to Star?!"

"What?" Eclipsa had no idea who this person was or how they knew Star, but she could hear the girl screaming in the background. "Is that Star?" her tone shifted from confusion to fear. "Is she okay? Is she hurt? What's going on?!"

"I don't know!" Marco shouted at her in frustration, watching as Tom tried unsuccessfully to calm the girl. Why did Eclipsa even care? Why did he even answer her question?

"Hang on, I'm on my way."

The 'call ended' screen appeared, sending Marco into another panic. Eclipsa was coming here?! To his apartment?! Eclipsa, who he had been told was the one responsible for Star's death all those years ago?! Who had authored the evil chapter in the spell book that he himself had been temporarily corrupted by?! She must have been coming to finish the job.

Turning to Tom, Marco could see the demon's eyes glowing red as he held Star protectively, ready for a fight. Things were going from bad to worse, but it looked like they were both on the same page.

The two men tensed when a portal appeared in the room, waiting for Eclipsa to step forth.

The woman appeared not a moment later in her pajamas with her hair tied up for the night.

Just as Marco readied to strike the intruding woman, he stopped, hearing a desperate cry from Star.

"Mom!" Star wailed, arms outstretched to the woman as she tried to break free from Tom's grasp.

"Mom?" Tom and Marco asked one another in unison.

Paying no mind to the bewildered men, Eclipsa rushed to Star, pulling her from Tom's arms and into her own. "I'm here, Star. I'm here, love," she repeated several times in a comforting manner as she stroked the girl's hair. Even as Star's cries calmed, the woman could tell the girl was extremely distressed, gripping onto her tightly as if her life depended on it.

Waiting until the girl was more relaxed, Eclipsa asked, "What's wrong, Star? Did you have another nightmare?"

"Yes, and it won't stop! Make the screaming stop!" Star grabbed at her ears again, trying to crush them against her head in an attempt to get the shrieking to end.

"Who is screaming?" The only screaming Eclipsa could hear was coming from Star.

"I don't know! Just make it stop!"

"Alright, alright, dear," Eclipsa could feel Star about to get worked up once more. "Tell me about the dream," she tried instead. Maybe it would give her a clue as to what was going on or what was bothering the girl so much.

"I...I was in the Realm of Magic. Someone was screaming, yelling for help and now they won't stop!" Star gritted her teeth, trying her best not to burst into a fit of tears once more.

Eclipsa recalled something like this happening to Star in her previous life. The girl had sought her advice about her sleep-portaling, complaining she was hearing screeching sounds at night. Visiting the Realm of Magic had ended the dreams and sleep trips for the girl then. Perhaps it could do the same for her now. "If the realm is calling you, maybe you should go."

"She's not going anywhere!" Marco interrupted, all but ready to rip Star from the woman's arms. He had promised Moon he would not let the girl out of his sight. There was no way he was going to let the Queen of Darkness run off with her.

"No, I won't!" Star refused, mooting Marco's protest. She hated the Realm of Magic. Last time she had gone she had almost forgotten who she was. If Marco had not used the all-seeing eye spell, she would have been stuck there forever. The idea of going back and falling victim to the realm's spell once more terrified her. What if she could not be saved this time around? She did not want to end up a prisoner to the realm forever. "I don't want to forget everything again."

Eclipsa knew there had to be some significance to Star seeing the realm in her dreams and that her problem was likely to resolve if she simply went, but she understood the girl's reluctance. She knew of the trance visitors to the realm often fell under, having experienced it herself when she was barely older than Star was now. "I have an idea! Dear, may I have your phone?"

Star nodded her head, taking the compact mirror from Marco and handing it to her adoptive mother.

"I'll be right back." Eclipsa cut open another portal, disappearing for only a brief moment before returning once more. Holding the phone up, she snapped a quick picture of Tom and Marco before returning it back to Star.

Taking the device, Star saw Eclipsa had actually taken many pictures. Going through the photo reel, she could not help but giggle. Her mother had taken several pictures of Meteora and Toffee, including a picture of the three of them together. It was clear from her siblings' expressions that neither one had been prepared for or even aware Eclipsa was taking the photos.

"Take it with you," Eclipsa gently urged. "Every time you think you're forgetting, you can just look down and bam! There we are!"

Star smiled at her mother's gesture, but it was clear she was still hesitant to go.

"I think you should go," Eclipsa reassuringly set her hand atop Star's. "It's your best bet at getting it to stop."

Star knew her mother was right. She had to go. She hated having the three of them fussing over her like this, knowing all she had been doing these past few weeks was worrying everyone who cared for her. If it would make the noise stop and ease their pained expressions, she would go. "Alright," she answered, though still clearly afraid, "I'll go."

"We'll go with you," Tom offered, placing a hand on Star's shoulder. He was not familiar with the realm and had no idea what about it scared her, but hopefully he and Marco being with her would help ease her fears.

"No," Star answered firmly, working up the courage she needed for the trip. "I have to go alone." She did not know why, but something in her was telling her this was something she needed to do on her own.

"We'll be waiting for you right here, sweetie." Eclipsa cut open a portal to the Realm of Magic, gently guiding her adoptive daughter to it.

Taking a deep breath as she closed her eyes, Star passed through the portal.

A cool breeze swept her hair behind her as she found herself surrounded by golden waters and crystal sands. She almost forgot how breathtaking the place was.

She breathed a sigh of relief as the screeching noise suddenly stopped.

Quickly looking down at her phone, Star began flipping through the pictures her mother had taken. As she walked, she flitted her eyes back and forth between the pictures and where she was going, trying not to fall under the realm's enchanting spell. Several small, squealing unicorns gathered at her feet, calling her name while playfully nipping at her heels.

"You're back! You came back!" the small animals cried excitedly.

Star stopped, realizing she had no idea where she was going without any screams to follow. If this was anything like her last time in the realm, she knew who she would need to see. "Take me to the first born."

The unicorns all squealed in delight once more, quickly rushing off.

Star did her best to keep up with the small creatures while looking down at her phone. She did not have to travel far before she was standing in front of the large, white unicorn. Finally working up the courage to look her in the eye, she asked, "Why did you call me?"

"I did not," the head unicorn responded coolly. "I can only call one who wishes to be called. You do not wish to be here."

Star felt a sense of dread overcome her. Was this whole trip for nothing? "Someone was calling for help. Who was it?" The screaming had stopped the moment she had stepped into the realm. Someone clearly wanted her to come here.

"I do not need help. Perhaps there is another who called for you."

Who else could have called her? As far as she knew, the only inhabitants of the Realm of Magic were the unicorns.

The sound of a throat clearing behind her caught Star's attention. Turning to the source of the noise, she was almost taken aback at who she saw. "Glossaryck?!"

"Long time no see, Star," Glossaryck answered nonchalantly with his usual smile. "You remember me, don't you?"

"...aren't you dead? Well, I mean, you came back, but like...not really?" Glossaryck had just been an empty shell ever since Toffee destroyed the book. She remembered who he was, but, even after regaining her memories, she had not really thought about what happened to her old mentor in the years she was gone.

"You know, Star, I still find that offensive. Why do you always ask me if I'm dead? Do you want me to be? It's really starting to hurt my feelings, you know."

"Why did you bring me here?" Star jumped straight to the point, not in the mood for Glossaryck's games. Any joy she had in finally seeing him again dissipated, frustrated at the fact he was already back to his confusing riddles and vague hints.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I do know that you forgot about me. You left me behind."

"No, I didn't! I tried to help you! I did the baloo-balee thing! I got you back! I tried to take care of you!" Even after he had been haunting her from wherever he was hiding, Star still tried her best to appease him. How could he say she just left him behind? She did everything she could, even if it was not actually the right solution. What did he expect? She was practically alone on that one!

Glossaryck did not reply, only souring his expression in response.

"What do you want?!" she shouted, getting angrier with each passing second.

"Well, I suppose I just want you to get the bigger picture. I mean, sure, you got my physical body back, but what good is an empty vessel? You didn't come for _me_ , Star. You accepted my empty shell and called it a job well done."

"How was I supposed to know you were here?! I came to the Realm of Magic before and you weren't here! How was I supposed to know I should have come back?! Why do you always expect me to solve your stupid riddles?! What do you want me to do?!"

"I don't know, Star. What do you want to do?"

Star screamed in frustration, tears running down her face, just about ready to rip her own hair out. "I want to go back home! I want everything back the way it was! I want to go back to the forest!" She knew it was selfish, but she desperately wanted things to go back to the way they were before she had regained her memories. She wanted to wake up in the morning and not have to worry about where Moon was, about the Magical High Commission, and about what was happening in Mewni. She did not want to have to face the reality of knowing her friends all grew-up and moved on without her. She wanted to go back to her simple life. She wanted to practice magic with Eclipsa, to sit through boring lessons with Meteora, and to practice fighting with Toffee. She did not want to be haunted by visions of the past.

"Okay, okay," Glossaryck moved both his open hands outwards, motioning the girl to calm down. "We can do that. I just need you to do one thing."

"What?"

"Show me a picture of your mother."

Star had almost forgotten about the phone in her hand. Looking back to the device, she began flipping through the pictures once more. A creeping sense of dread began slowly filling her as she broke out in a cold sweat.

She did not know who any of these people were. They were all so familiar to her; she could almost pinpoint them. She could tell who was friend and who was family, but she could not seem to attach any names to the different faces. Three of the women in the pictures had markings on their faces like her, so she knew at least one of them had been her mother. Scrolling through pictures of the women, she realized she truly could not fulfill Glossaryck's request. She felt as if she had been cared for by all three in some way.

Realizing her fears were becoming a reality, Star knew she had to leave. She was starting to forget. The realm was going to reclaim her if she stayed any longer. Her heart began racing as she searched across the dimension's golden waters, unable to find the portal she came through. She had to get home, but… where was home?

Trying to think of where she had last been, brief images of an apartment flashed through her mind. She was not entirely sure if that was the place she called home, but she did not have any other choice. She had to leave now before she forgot any world existed outside of the realm.

Star's eyes lit up with a brilliant golden light as she entered her butterfly form. Magic swirled around her as she opened a portal, immediately flying out of it without any concern for her old mentor.

Glossaryck simply followed after Star through her portal with a knowing smile.

* * *

Tom and Marco sat silently, each trying to process the new information. Eclipsa had filled them in where Moon was unable to in her hurry, revealing the circumstances that caused Star to still be a teenager and why the Queen had declared her dead. While they were glad to finally have some answers, they were in no way expecting this.

The silence was broken when a portal suddenly appeared in the room, revealing Star in her butterfly form.

The girl gave an audible gasp as her memories flooded back to her. Away from the realm's enchantment, she felt relief flood her as she instantly recognized all the people around her. Her magical form disappearing, the girl threw herself into Eclipsa's arm, burying her face in the woman's neck as she cried tears of joy.

As Star's portal disappeared, another flash of light filled the room, momentarily blinding all the occupants. Suddenly, lying there on the living room floor, was the Butterfly spell book.

"Look, Star," Marco scooted closer to the girl, gently laying a hand on her shoulder as she refused to turn away from or let go of Eclipsa, "you got your book back!"

The book suddenly flung itself open, sending pieces of sparkling confetti flying all over.

"Ta-da!" Glossaryck floated out of the book's open pages and took a bow. "Well, well, well, long time no see, Marco," he greeted the awestruck man.

"Glossaryck! You're not a vegetable anymore!" Marco had not seen Star's old teacher since he had returned to Earth. He had never really thought or worried much about what had happened to him. Secretly, he had been kind of glad to get away from him. Caring for him in his incompetent state was exhausting, not that he had been any less annoying back when he was still fully cognizant.

"Implying I ever was one. Honestly, what are they teaching you kids these days? Clearly not any manners," Glossaryck jokingly scoffed.

Eclipsa rubbed Star's back, giving her a soft smile. "You did great."

"I don't want to forget again." Star allowed the silent tears to roll down her face, refusing to let go of her adoptive mother.

"Don't worry, my love. You won't. I won't let you." Eclipsa softly teased, bringing a smile to the girl's face.

* * *

Stroking her sleeping daughter's hair, Eclipsa used her free hand to turn the pages of the massive spell book.

"Looking for anything in particular?" Glossaryck asked, bemused by Eclipsa's fascination with the book. Of all the princesses he had trained, she had been the most enthusiastic about learning magic.

"Just three-hundred years of spells I missed. I must say, Moon's chapter is quite impressive."

"Yeah, she was a good kid," Glossaryck chuckled.

"So tell me, why did you spend all that time pretending to be so helpless?" Eclipsa had been well aware of the fact Glossaryck had simply been putting on an act for Star after the spell book had been destroyed. Mostly because she and Glossaryck had actually been speaking to one another while she was imprisoned in Castle Butterfly, but also because she knew him and his mischievous ways. She had seen right through him from the very first 'Globgor.' "Why call Star now?"

"I don't really know what you're talking about, but as for me, it just wasn't the right time before." Glossaryck's expression seemed to damper a bit as his tone suddenly shifted away from his usual playful ignorance. "But now it is."

"What do you mean?"

"I created each member of the Magical High Commission to serve a specific purpose; to help keep the universe in balance. Problem is, they've refused to get with the times. The universe is ever changing, ever expanding, always moving towards chaos, but those ungrateful brats are so stuck in their own ways, they're interfering with that goal. Mewni has fallen into chaos, the universe is out of balance, and they are to blame. It's going to be Star's job to bring peace to Mewni and restore the balance of power, but as long as Hekapoo and Omnitraxus Prime are about, she won't be able to fulfill that role. They know their time had come the moment you took the wand three hundred years ago and they've been fighting it tooth and nail ever since. She's the first Butterfly to match your strength and prowess in magic and they are not going to take any chances."

Eclipsa gazed softly at the sleeping girl, filled with fear at the prospect of Hekapoo and Omnitraxus succeeding where Rhombulus had failed. She let the spell book fall onto her lap as she wrapped both her arms around Star in a gentle hug, doing her best not to wake her. Letting go, she closed the open spell book and tucked it under her arm as she climbed off the bed in search of her slippers.

"I think I'm going to borrow you for some time," Eclipsa spoke as she drew Moon's scissors, preparing to portal back to the forest. There were still lots of new spells she had to go through and just not enough time in one night to do it.

"I don't think Star will mind," Glossaryck chuckled. "She's probably going to need to cool off before she's ready to go back to practicing magic. I'm sure she'll be quite angry with me for some time." He had to rile her up quite a bit in the Realm of Magic to trigger her butterfly form. He knew Star would be greatly upset if he falsely accused her of not caring for him, making it the perfect distraction to allow the Realm of Magic to begin working its charm on her. He usually did not resort to such fear-inducing tactics, but it was something that needed to be done. With all that was to come, the girl needed a quick refresher on dipping down.

Eclipsa snickered, "Yes, she can be quite headstrong."

"The two of you have that in common."

"So what happens now?"

"Well, that's really for you all to decide now, isn't it? I'm just here to keep things moving along." Glossaryck paused for a moment, almost as if he were hesitating. "I know you and Moon have some pretty big plans coming up for the commission and while I can't get involved, I do have just one request of you."

* * *

Feeling incredibly thirsty, Star climbed out of her bed and silently ventured to the kitchen. It was still dark outside and she had hoped to avoid waking Tom and Marco for a second time that night. Pouring herself a glass of water from the pitcher in the fridge, she frowned when she heard a door open.

Marco entered the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. "Everything okay, Star?"

"Yeah, just wanted a drink. Sorry for waking you up earlier...and now."

"It's fine, I'm just glad you're okay. You had us worried we were going to lose you again." Marco ruffled her hair with a sleepy smile.

"Nope, I'm all good." Star tried her best to reassure him with a smile of her own.

"You come get me if you need anything, okay?"

"Okay. Goodnight!" she called after Marco as he headed back to his room.

Setting her empty cup on the counter and heading back to her bed, Star let her smile fall as she lay back down. She had not said anything because she did not want to worry her friends or mother further, but going to the Realm of Magic had not solved the problem.

She could still hear the screaming.

* * *

 **Good luck to everyone back in school!**

 **Review please!**


	9. Lazy Weekends

**Welcome back!**

* * *

Star stirred from her sleep, woken by the sound of arguing voices.

" _Open this door at once, Turdina!"_

"Get lost, Heinous!"

Star lifted her head over the blankets piled on her, trying to see what was going on.

" _My name is Meteora and you will address me as so!"_ said woman's voice drifted from behind the closed apartment door. _"Where is Star?! Let me see her!_ "

Recognizing her adoptive sister's voice, Star excitedly kicked the blankets and sheets off herself and sat up.

" _Open this door or so help me Turdina, I will break it down!_ "

Marco swung the door open before the woman could make do on her threat. "There she is!" he angrily remarked, motioning to Star. "You woke her up! Are you happy?!"

"Me?! This was all your doing! Just get out of my way!" Meteora forcefully pushed Marco to the side as she entered the apartment, making her way over to Star.

Star leapt forward and threw her arms around the woman the moment she took a seat on the bed. "Meteora!" she cried happily, delighted by her sister's surprise visit. "What are you doing here?"

"Mother told me about what happened last night. I came to check on you; you had us so worried. How are you feeling?" Meteora asked as she gave the girl a quick look-over, relieved to find her physically unharmed.

Marco watched from the kitchen as the two spoke, brewing himself a cup of coffee. He had no plans to actually drink it; it was just a reason for him to be in the kitchen where he could keep a close eye on Meteora. He had not seen the woman since he left Mewni and had been quite shocked when she showed up at his doorstep. Had it not been for Star's happy expression upon hearing her voice, he would not have let her in. It made sense Star was fond of the woman, no doubt having grown up with her if she was raised by Eclipsa. Still, Marco could not shake the apprehensive feeling he was getting, watching the former headmistress of what was once essentially a prison interact with Star. Luckily, he did not have to hide out for long as Meteora's shrill voice called him back to the living room.

"Turdina, what is the meaning of this?! Why is this place such a sty?! How could you keep Star in such filth?!" Meteora demanded, motioning to the scattered items and clothing around the room.

Marco had no idea why she was getting so worked up. Sure, the place was not spotless, but it was certainly not a sty. He and Tom did their best to pick up every now and then, but between running the dojo and not actually caring about the state of the apartment, not much got done.

"It's not that bad!" Star responded to Meteora's nitpicking before Marco could. "It's fine, really."

Meteora ran her index finger across the coffee table, holding it up to show the small pile of dust that had collected against her fingertip.

"Hey, Marco, don't you have work?" Star suddenly asked, shifting the focus of the conversation before it could turn into a fight. It was past noon on a Friday, he should have been at the dojo.

"Tom's holding the place down for now. We were going to switch off when you got up. We didn't want to wake you." Both he and Tom had agreed Star needed more sleep, considering the rough night she had had.

"Wow, you actually did something right for once," Meteora scoffed, making a show of wiping the gathered dust off her hands.

Marco only narrowed his eyes in response. It was not too late to throw her out of the apartment, was it?

"Have you eaten, Star? Probably not," Meteora sneered in Marco's direction. "Come, let me make you something."

Star hopped off the bed, following the older woman into the kitchen. "That's okay, I'll just have some cereal."

"Nonsense, you need real food." Opening the fridge, Meteora frowned. Except for a few condiments, it was completely empty. She should not have been surprised to find it in such a desolate state, considering the rest of the apartment.

"You know, I'd love to sit here and listen to you insult me all day," Marco quickly interjected before Meteora could begin another round of complaints, "but I've got to get to work. Star, will you be alright here with Heino-"

" _Meteora._ "

"...right. _Meteora._ Star, will you be alright with Meteora until Tom gets here? He shouldn't be more than twenty minutes or so."

"We'll be fine, Turdina." Meteora waved her hands outwards in a shooing motion. "Your presence isn't needed here."

Star frowned at the obvious disdain Meteora held for Marco. Was she still mad about the whole St. Olga's thing? It was years ago! Marco was doing them a huge favor by letting her stay with him, why was she being so mean to him?

Rushing over to the man, Star wrapped her arms around his waist. "Thanks for everything, Marco," she said, not wanting him to feel unappreciated.

"Of course." Marco gave the girl a smile, running a hand through her hair. "You call me at the dojo if you need anything, okay?"

"Okay!"

* * *

Unlocking and opening his apartment door, Marco stopped dead in his tracks.

The place was absolutely spotless. There was not an article of clothing in sight. The pile of junk mail that had built up over the months was nowhere to be seen and he was almost certain he could see his reflection in the hardwood floor. If it were not for Tom collapsed on the couch, he would have assumed he was in the wrong unit. "What happened?" he asked the demon. Last time he had seen the place this clean was the day he had moved in.

"I have been cleaning this place non-stop since I got here. That woman is crazy demanding!" Tom moaned. He was going to lose it if he had to wipe down one more surface.

Smelling something delicious in the air, Marco made his way to the kitchen, surprised to find a fully cooked meal covered and waiting on the stove for him. "Did Meteora make this?" he asked, well aware it could not have been Tom. The baked salmon, roasted greens, and rice pilaf were far beyond the prince's limited cooking abilities.

"Yeah. Only good thing that came out of her."

Curious as to where Meteora had even gotten the ingredients for the food, Marco opened the fridge, pleasantly surprised to find it fully stocked and organized. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats lined the shelves along with other cooking essentials. It almost made up for her earlier behaviors. Almost.

"Where's Star?" Marco asked as he scooped himself a heaping plate of food.

"She's walking around the complex with Meteora. Do you know when that woman's going to leave? 'Cause I've just about had it up to here with her."

"No idea." Joining Tom in the living room, Marco took a seat on the couch opposite to his friend. Looking to Star's neatly-made bed, he could not help but notice two dolls that had not been there the night before: one resembling Eclipsa and the other a red Monster he did not recognize.

* * *

"Careful!" Marco called out apprehensively, worried as he watched Tom give Star a boost onto the rock formation.

Now that the weekend had finally rolled around, he had decided the three of them needed to get out of the house. What better way to burn off some excess energy than by hiking through the California wilderness? Though Star had not uttered a single complaint, Marco knew she was likely growing bored and restless, only ever leaving the apartment to go to the dojo then straight back home.

Reaching the top of the short climb, Star waited eagerly for her two friends to catch up. She could see from her perch there was still some trail left for them to walk before they reached the summit. "Come on, slowpokes!" she teased, eager to get to the peak before the sunset.

"Star, wait!" Marco motioned for her to come over before she could take off running.

Curious, Star obliged. She was surprised when Marco spun her around and took her hair into his hands, pulling her golden locks into a single braid behind her back.

"Let's get this out of your face, I don't want you to get your hair caught on anything."

Tom could not help but laugh at his friend's behavior. He was like an overbearing, worried parent. Star used to fight monsters and run all over Mewni with her hair down. It never bothered her then, why did Marco think it was going to bother her now? "Dude, she's fine."

"You never know, just in case." Finishing up, Marco tied the bottom of her braid, ignoring the chuckles coming from Tom.

Finally reaching the peak, the trio sat in silence for some time, watching the breath-taking sunset over Echo Creek.

Just as the last rays of sunlight were beginning to disappear, Star suddenly shot up and took off.

"Star, where are you going?" Marco asked. "Star, get down from there!" he suddenly shouted when the girl began clamoring up a nearby tree.

"I want to take a picture!" Star called behind her, not even giving Marco a glance as she continued to pull herself up.

Tom quickly grabbed Marco's shoulder, stopping him from chasing after the girl. "Come on, chill. She's fine."

Marco knew Tom was right, but he still could not help but worry. He had promised Moon he would not let anything happen to the girl; he had no idea how he would face her if Star got hurt while under his care. "Just...be careful!"

Reaching the top of the tree, Star balanced herself on a branch, holding onto the trunk with one hand while quickly snapping a picture on her phone with the other. She stayed up there for a few minutes longer, enjoying the sight as the last beams of light finally disappeared into the horizon.

"Ready to come down, Star?!" Tom called from the base of the tree before Marco could.

"Yes!"

Marco breathed a sigh of relief.

"Come on, I'll catch you!" Tom held his arms up.

Marco's sigh morphed into a shout when Star suddenly jumped from the tree. Before he even had time to react, the girl was suddenly caught in a burst of magical flames and gently lowered into Tom's waiting arms.

"What's wrong, Marco? You look like you just saw a ghost or something," Star giggled as Tom gently set her down.

"It's nothing. I'm fine." Marco could feel his heart about to beat from his chest thanks to her little stunt. He drew his dimensional scissors and cut a portal back to the apartment. "It's dark now, we should get home."

* * *

Kneeling over the mat in front of her, Star tucked her hair behind her ear as she rolled up her sleeves. Following Tom and Marco's lead, she grabbed a sponge and began scrubbing.

"Star, you don't have to do that." Tom moved to try and take the sponge from Star but was unable to when she pulled away.

"No, I want to help," the girl insisted. Considering everything Marco and Tom were doing for her it was literally the least she could do. Besides, there was not much else she could do considering the dojo was closed and all the other kids had gone home for the day.

The three worked in silence for some time until the sound of the door chime caught their attention.

"Darn, I must have forgotten to lock up. I'll go take care of it." Marco quickly dried his hands on his shirt and made his way to the front. "Hey, sorry, we're already closed for the-"

He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw who was waiting by the door.

It was Toffee.

Marco had not seen the monster since the battle for Mewni. He knew how frighteningly strong Toffee was and had no idea if he could even take him on, but that did not matter. If Toffee wanted Star, he was still going to have to go through him.

"Tom, code blue!" he called, knowing he would need all the help he could get.

From the back, Tom's ears instantly perked up at the sound of Marco's panicked tone. Something was wrong. "Stay here," he firmly ordered Star before taking off.

Star could not help but worry. She too could sense something was amiss and there was no way she was going to stand by and do nothing when her friends could be in danger. Holding her wand cautiously out in front of her, she slowly walked down the hall. Reaching the end, she peeked around the corner into the main area of the dojo.

"I'm not here to fight you, boys," Toffee spoke calmly. "I'm just here for Star. Where is she?"

"Like hell we're turning her over to you!" Marco stood his ground.

Toffee was completely unphased by the two men in front of him, even when Tom began chanting his demonic spells. "Ah, there you are," he said, catching sight of a head of blonde hair peeking from behind the hallway.

"Toffee!" Star smiled, letting her guard down as she ran towards the monster.

"Star, no!" Marco caught Star as she ran past him, pulling her back and holding her defensively behind him. "What are you doing?!"

"Marco, it's fine. He's here for me."

"Yeah, that's kind of the problem, Star." Marco fought to keep his grip on Star as she tried to break away. He found it strange that the girl seemed so happy to see the Monster. Did she not remember what he had done to them? How Toffee had kidnapped him as a teen and almost killed her?

"Marco, he's not going to hurt us. He's Eclipsa's son."

Eclipsa had made no mention of any of her children when she had filled him and Tom in on what had happened the past fourteen years. Meteora he was aware of from his past adventures in Mewni, but Toffee was news to him. Still, even if that were true, it did not make Marco feel any better. Though Toffee was not poised for combat, Marco could not help but fear for the girl. He knew the lizard was immensely strong and could easily send the three of them flying through the wall with a flick of his wrist.

"Marco, please…" Star stopped fighting, trying to reason with her friend instead. "Just this once, trust me."

Unsure of what to do, Marco turned to Tom. Though the demon had never met Toffee, Marco could tell he was hesitant as well. It was no surprise, considering the awesome power that seemed to radiate off the Monster, even from his relaxed and composed form.

Still...Star seemed so happy to see him. Besides, if Toffee really wanted to harm them, he could have done so quite easily by now.

Reluctantly, Marco released Star, watching her run over to Toffee and wrap her arms around him.

* * *

As the weeks passed, Marco became more accustomed to the idea of Toffee and Meteora coming to see Star, but he still had his reservations. While the visits always brought a smile to the girl's face, the same could not be said for him.

Toffee was more tolerable as he had only made one other visit and never hung around for long, but Meteora was beginning to drive Marco crazy. The woman was so demanding and would not stop complaining. It was always something: Why was Star sleeping in the living room? Why did they not give up one of their rooms to her? Star's skin looked a little pink, were they keeping her out in the sun for too long? Star looked tired, was she sleeping enough? Were they keeping the apartment quiet enough for her? Star was looking thin, was she eating enough? Why was the place full of junk food? Were they feeding her 'real food?' What was that bruise on her arm? Why were they letting her practice karate? Why did they not keep a closer eye on her to make sure she did not get hurt?

It amazed Marco that Star did not come out as some kind of spoiled, delicate flower under her care. The girl was just as happy-go-lucky and headstrong as he had always remembered her.

What made it worse was the fact that Meteora tended to hang around for several hours if not the whole day when she came around. Sure, she would stuff the fridge with food, cook, and clean the place up, all while insulting him and Tom quite loudly, but Marco was beginning to think the trade-off was not worth it. It took all his willpower not to throw her out every time she came by.

Still, every time he found himself ready to drag her out, he would see Star's smile and how happy she was to have the half-Monster woman over. He would sit back down, silently grumbling to himself. For Star, he could deal with the woman's whining for a few hours.

* * *

Star tried to stay focused on the screen, but could not help but yawn. She had so many shows and movies she needed to catch up on, but just not enough hours in the day. Marco and Tom had started the movie marathon with her hours ago, but were now both completely out, snoring softly in their sleep. She could feel herself starting to doze off as she closed her eyes, only intending to rest for a minute.

When she opened her eyes again, Star suddenly found herself in an open field. Looking around, she could not recognize the area, but the shrieking, high-pitched wailing told her this was a dream. Having grown accustomed to hearing the yelling in the background on most days, she was not as frightened of it this time around. Not wanting to worry anyone, she had learned to simply tune the noise out, but it seemed much louder now.

She could see a small village in the distance, but it too was unrecognizable to her. Feeling the ground rumbling underneath her feet, Star looked around, catching sight of an approaching Mewman cavalry. She did not recognize any of the riding knights, nor their strange armor. Though the suits were sparkling and unscathed, they were of an old and archaic design she recognized only from ancient tapestries hanging in Castle Butterfly.

Realizing the charge was not going to stop for her, Star prepared to jump out of the way, only to freeze as a resounding shout filled the air.

"Stop!"

Everything froze in that moment. The cavalry, the shrieking, and the very air around Star seemed to stand still at the command. Turning around, she was shocked to find a young woman holding the wand out as if to strike.

The woman was wearing a pink dress with her long brunette hair down and billowing around her. She looked to be quite young, clutching an infant to her chest.

Star did not recognize the woman and had no idea how she got hold of the wand, but that did not matter. It was hers, the woman had no right to take it. "Hey, give that back!" she demanded.

The woman did not even look her way, her eyes dead set on the head of the Mewman brigade.

"What is the meaning of this, Alder?!" the woman demanded.

"Queen Andromeda! Shouldn't you be resting?" Alder spoke apprehensively, clearly not expecting the woman to be there.

"And what? Let you go behind my back and ruin everything I've been working so hard to achieve?!"

"Your 'work' is going to waste. We have what we need, now is the time to strike!"

"I won't hear another word of this! I order you to take _my_ men and return home!"

Still unsure of what was going on, Star simply watched the group of knights retreat towards the village. Turning back to the woman with the wand, she was surprised to see her looking directly at her. "Can you...see me?"

"Help me."

"How?"

"What was that, Star?"

The young princess suddenly snapped awake, finding herself in the living room once more. Looking around, she saw Marco half-awake, looking straight at her.

"Who were you talking to?" he asked, curious as to what she had been dreaming about.

"It was no one," she responded with a yawn. "Just really tired."

"We should get to bed. Come on, Tom!" Marco grabbed a nearby pillow and threw it at the demon. "Give Star her bed back."

Tom groaned groggily in response, dragging himself out of the living room with a quick ruffle of Star's hair. "G'night."

* * *

"Good morning, Starshine!"

"...Glossaryck?" Star rubbed her eyes, glancing out the window at the still dark sky. "What are you doing?"

"Ready to get started on your training?" Glossaryck snapped his fingers, bringing forth the spell book and dropping it into Star's lap with a thud.

"What?"

"Your training, Star. I know we're a decade and some behind schedule, but what can you do? Better late than never, right?"

Star had forgotten about the spell book and Glossaryck completely. She was not really in the mood to deal with her old mentor this early in the morning, but she could not deny the burning curiosity she felt. Reaching for the book, she pulled it close as she sat up and opened to the first page. Though she could not read the ancient Mewman script the early chapters were written in, she could still follow along the diagrams and get a general idea of what the spells were supposed to do.

Glossaryck watched in silence as Star slowly examined every page. It was a refreshing sight considering she had never taken an interest in the book before. Getting her to actually practice magic was akin to pulling teeth; he was not going to stop her if she wanted to learn on her own.

Light began creeping into the room with the sunrise as Star continued reading in silence. She spent a considerable amount of time pouring over every detail of Eclipsa's chapter, reading more in depth than she had the first time around.

Waiting the considerable amount of time until Star finished, Glossaryck finally spoke. "So, what do you think? Want to give something in there a try?"

"Actually, yes." Star opened the book back up to Eclipsa's chapter. "I do."

* * *

"Star, you have a visitor!"

Looking up from her spell book, Star was delighted to see Marco leading Eclipsa into the room. "Mom!" she cried happily, running over to the woman and practically throwing herself at her.

"Hello, my love," Eclipsa placed a kiss on the top of Star's head.

"What am I, chopped liver?" Glossaryck jokingly asked as he floated over to the two Butterflys.

"Hello, Glossaryck. Always a pleasure to see you." Eclipsa turned her attention away from Star to greet him. "I'm afraid I won't be staying. I just wanted to come by and say hello."

Star's smile fell into a frown. She had not seen her adoptive mother in weeks; not since she had last been to the Realm of Magic. She did not want to see her leave when she just barely got here. "Can't you stay for a little bit?"

"I'm sorry, dear, I can't. There's something I need to do."

Star wanted to protest, but stopped when she felt Eclipsa take her into her arms. There was something different about the way she was holding her. The embrace seemed tighter and more affectionate, like Eclipsa did not want to actually let go. Even her soft smile seemed to carry an air of sadness with it. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing at all!" Eclipsa lied with a cheery voice, doing her best to put on a sincere smile. "I should be going now, but I'll be back soon. Glossaryck will take care of you in the meantime, won't you?"

"Of course. Don't worry about, Star. You do what you need to do and we'll be waiting right here for you when you return. Everything will be fine," Glossaryck reassured her, well aware of the task that lay ahead of her.

"Thank you."

* * *

Eclipsa walked silently through the open fields that lay just beyond the Butterfly Kingdom with Moon following close behind. It was the anniversary of her mother's death and the only time she could guarantee Omnitraxus would be alone. If the two of them were going to strike, it was going to have to be today.

Sure enough, as the two approached, they could see Omnitraxus' massive figure kneeling on the ground, hands buried in his face as if he were crying.

Eclipsa could feel Moon's understandable apprehension as they approached. She was quite terrified herself, well aware of Omnitraxus' incredible powers. Still, she knew she could not turn around now. Not when the safety of her family depended on it.

"Hello, Omnitraxus," Eclipsa spoke calmly, catching the immortal being off guard. "Or would you prefer I still called you grandfather?"

* * *

 **Review please!**


	10. Everyone Runs Out of Time

**Welcome back!**

* * *

"Well, if it isn't the two traitorous Queens of Mewni!" Omnitraxus spat out in disgust. "What are you doing here?! How dare you taint this moment with your presence?!"

"You act as if what happened to mother was my fault," Eclipsa responded coolly.

Moon simply stood by in silence, shocked at the revelation. Omnitraxus was Eclipsa's grandfather? That would mean he was a distant great-grandfather of hers as well. No one had ever made any mention of this to her before. She had many questions, but it was clear now was not the right time.

"You spit in the face of everything she sacrificed herself for and yet you still have the nerve to show your face around here?!"

Eclipsa narrowed her eyes. "You mean everything _you_ sacrificed her for."

"Letting you run wild was a mistake. Fortunately, it's one I can still fix." Without warning, Omnitraxus came charging towards the two Butterflys.

The two women split, taking off in opposite directions.

"I'm glad your mother was never able to see what became of you." Omnitraxus grew in size, sweeping the area with his arm as he spun around, knocking both women to the ground. "You were always an ungrateful child. I should have never let Rhombulus freeze you that night. I should have just finished you off myself!"

Morphing into their butterfly forms, the Queens took to the sky, narrowly avoiding Omnitraxus' fist as it came smashing into the ground.

Diving back down and into the forest, Moon's eyes and hands began to glow. Using her magic, she uprooted several nearby trees and sent them hurtling towards Omnitraxus.

The immortal being only scoffed as his body became intangible, allowing the trees to pass through without harm.

Taking advantage of his distracted state, Eclipsa flew behind Omnitraxus and struck him with a blast of her dark magic, knocking him to the ground. "And what would you have told mother then?" she taunted in a sarcastically sweet tone as she floated above him. "How is she? Do you still speak to her? Is she still happy to see you?"

"Silence!" Omnitraxus unleashed his own blast of cosmic energy, doing his best to maneuver the beam towards Eclipsa as she flew around him in erratic patterns.

With Omnitraxus' back to her, Moon followed Eclipsa's lead, striking him with a beam of magic from behind.

Eclipsa attacked from the front, guiding her own beam until it met Moon's, connecting the two streams of magic into one.

The two Queens began circling Omnitraxus, using their combined magic to restrain him.

Spinning in the opposite direction as the women, Omnitraxus unwound the ribbon of magic tying him down, sending the two royals flying through the air. He continued spinning, forcing the air around him to whirl into a vortex.

The Queens were unable to steady themselves in the air, being pulled in every direction from the force of the swirling winds.

"Tell me, is she still screaming?!" Eclipsa continued taunting, flapping her wings forcefully against the wind current to stabilize herself. "Does she still cry for death? Is her soul still tortured, knowing her beloved father has left her to suffer for all eternity, too selfish to actually let her find peace?"

Omnitraxus lashed out in anger, breaking his vortex as he lept towards Eclipsa.

Eclipsa shoved Moon to the side moments before Omnitraxus grabbed her and forcefully slammed her into the wall of a nearby terrace.

Reeling his arm back, Omnitraxus swung his fist towards Eclipsa. His attack never met its target as Moon flew by at break-neck speed, slicing clean through his arm with her sword.

Eclipsa quickly freed herself when Omnitraxus pulled away, roaring in pain. It was a good move on Moon's part, but one she knew would only be temporary. Her grandfather's form was only metaphysical, able to change and retract at will. He would be able to regenerate the limb just as quickly as he had lost it.

Omnitraxus quickly regained his bearings and charged towards Eclipsa once more. "Does it bother you; knowing you took her murderer's son for your lover?"

Eclipsa zig-zagged through the air, flying in random patterns and directions in an attempt to confuse and disorient the master of space-time. "Globgor was nothing like his father!"

"He fought alongside him in the war!"

"He was forced to, just like how you forced mother onto the battlefield! Not a day went by that Globgor did not regret his actions; never a day he wasn't haunted by what he had done! He learned from his mistakes and tried to fix what his father had done! He and I tried so hard to mend the relations between the Monsters and the Mewmans, but you just couldn't have that, could you?!"

"You're just as naive now as you were then. You have no idea the destruction and chaos that would befall Mewni if magic fell into the hands of Monsters!" Omnitraxus tucked his arms around himself as his physical form began changing shape. His features disappeared as his body became an amorphous blob, retracting and expanding repeatedly. With each retraction, he seemed to get smaller and more defined, morphing into a perfectly spherical shape.

The two women drifted cautiously in the air, unsure of what the inter-dimensional being was up to.

Suddenly, Omnitraxus' form imploded, flooding the entire area with his cosmic magic.

Everything around Moon seemed to distort wildly. She could see crystal fragments, all reflecting the different timelines, passing by as the area around her rapidly changed. The flora seemed to shift around, constantly growing and shrinking as if passing through several periods of time all at once. Looking to Eclipsa, she found the green-haired woman's distance constantly changing, appearing close-by then far off mere seconds later. "Eclipsa!"

"Just follow my voice, Moon!" The Queen of Darkness called back, trying to gather her bearings as Omnitraxus continued warping the reality around them.

"That's easier said than done!" Moon replied, having heard Eclipsa's voice coming from every direction. She had no idea where the woman was in relation to her. She was flying blind.

Flapping her wings vigorously once more, Eclipsa tried to blow away the cloud of distortion. The force of her winds kicked up a dust storm which she quickly directed towards Omnitraxus, trying her best to blind him if not at the very least provide her and Moon with some cover.

Taking advantage of the fact the flying dust provided him with a veil as well, Omnitraxus pulled his energy back into his usual form and leapt forward. Grabbing Eclipsa, he took to the sky, flying at a blistering speed. "You turn around and run off with the son of your mother's killer. You bear his disgusting half-breed spawn then you have the nerve to blame me for her misfortune. I'm glad she's not here to see this, but no matter. I'm sure your mother would have understood. How something as vile as you could have ever come from someone as beautiful as her I'll never understand. Everything I did for you and you still turned into a wretched villainess."

Omnitraxus suddenly changed directions, sending the two of them into a nose-drie straight for the ground. He would simply splatter and reform, but there was no way Eclipsa would survive such an impact.

"Everything you did for me?!" Eclipsa shrieked, outraged Omnitraxus would paint her miserable childhood with him in such a positive light. "You're the reason she was not there to raise me! You robbed me of my mother! You robbed me of my childhood, my life, my husband, my home, and my children! You threw my daughter into some awful reform school to be raised by an emotionless robot, left my son to rot in the streets, and who knows what misery you put my Festivia through! I lost the chance to raise my children then, but it won't happen again. I won't let you take Star from me!"

Eclipsa's eyes began glowing as her emotions overwhelmed her, allowing her to call upon all her magic as she dipped down.

Filled with a new kind of strength, Eclipsa broke free of Omnitraxus' grasp at the last minute, allowing him to crash directly into the ground without her. Soaring several feet above him, she unleashed an awesome burst of dark magic, breaking his body apart faster than it could reform. "Toffee, now!"

Moon gasped as an eerily familiar high-pitched screeching noise filled the air. A beam of green magic came flying out from underneath her, striking Omnitraxus' amorphous form. Turning sharply, she was shocked to see Toffee standing behind her, his hands glowing as he cast magic wandlessly. "Since when can you…?"

A flash of light caught Moon by surprise. Turning back to Eclipsa, she watched as Omnitraxus' skull fell to the ground, his eyes black and lifeless.

Eclipsa did not hesitate. The moment the skull landed before her feet, she crushed it with a forceful stomp, watching silently as it crumbled into dust and blew away with the wind.

Suddenly, the woman collapsed to the ground and began sobbing. Though Omnitraxus was gone, horrible images of him coming after Star and her other children continued to flash through her mind. All the grief she had felt over the years came flooding back to her as images of Festivia's crying face, desperately calling out to her for help as Omnitraxus took her away, resurfaced in her mind. She could still hear the girl's sobbing voice in her head, recalling how hard she had fought only to fall to the commission.

She knew it was over, that her horrid grandfather could never hurt her or her family again, but she could not stop the tears from flowing.

Though Moon approached and wrapped her arms around the woman in an attempt to comfort her, she had no idea what to do. She had never seen Eclipsa in such a vulnerable state before. She never knew the former Queen had been carrying around such a deep sorrow or that she had such a close familial connection to the Magical High Commission. Now that she thought about it, she realized she knew nothing of Eclipsa's past other than her fleeing the Butterfly Kingdom to be with her Monster husband. "Why don't you go see Star?" she offered, certain the sight of the young girl alive and well would ease Eclipsa's pain.

"I'm sorry. I'm fine." Eclipsa wiped her tears as she calmed herself. "But, Toffee," she turned to her son, "would you go check on her for me? Just...just make sure she's okay for me, would you?"

"Of course." Drawing the dimensional scissors he borrowed from Meteora, Toffee cut a portal back to earth and disappeared through it.

Suddenly, the ground began to shake beneath the two women. The quake was not particularly strong, but Eclipsa knew the two of them had to act quickly. "Moon, I know you're probably exhausted, but we have one more thing we need to do."

* * *

"Shadow warp!" Star stared in awe as the light emitting from her wand changed in color, gradually losing its luster as the usual gold shimmer dimmed into a dark purple.

Looking down, she watched as her shadow began twisting and contorting before a hand suddenly shot up from the floor. She gasped as her shadow completely lifted from the ground, taking on a three-dimensional form that mirrored her own. By the time the shadow settled, she found herself staring at an exact dark replica of herself. Being a shadow, there were no distinctive features she could clearly make-out, but it did have two glowing red eyes exactly where hers would be.

The princess knew this would be the end result of the spell as detailed by Eclipsa in the book, but she still could not help but be surprised. It was eerie, almost frightening, to see the replica; an exact image of her with no thoughts or feelings. Just a mindless clone ready to do her bidding. "Make it...make it go away."

The wand glowed briefly before the clone's form began shifting back into the ground, returning to its place as her shadow.

"What's wrong, Star?" Glossaryck asked. "You got it right. Why the long face?"

"Glossaryck, is this...is this spell evil?"

"Evil?"

"Well, I mean...it is dark magic isn't it?"

"I wouldn't worry about it," Glossaryck responded nonchalantly, waving his hand as if he were waving the actual problem away. "Good, bad, right, wrong….evil: these are just words people come up with to make themselves feel better about all the terrible things they do. I've always subscribed to the theory of just doing whatever you want. You can't make everyone happy, so might as well make yourself happy."

Star frowned slightly as she rubbed her arm, not finding any comfort in her mentor's words.

"Alright, think about it this way," Glossaryck tried once more. "Is your narwhal blast spell evil?"

"No!" she answered quickly, almost offended he would even ask.

"Well, what if you used it to attack the Mewman farmers and steal all their corn. Is the spell evil now?"

"That's not really the spell though, that would be me."

"So stealing is evil?"

"I mean it's bad, but, yeah, I guess."

"What if you stole the corn to feed some starving Monsters? Would it still be evil then? Would it still be 'bad?'"

"Well...I-"

"Now look at your shadow here, Star," Glossaryck continued before she could answer. "Is it evil?"

"No!" It was a part of her, how could Glossaryck think it was evil?

"So it's good then? Even though it's dark magic?"

"...I don't...I don't know." Star was tired of being talked in circles. She just wanted an answer. "You trained my mom."

"Both of them," he interjected with a bemused grin.

"Why did...why did Eclipsa write a chapter of dark spells? Why did she use dark magic? I know she's not evil, but...why?" It never made any sense to Star. If Eclipsa had been taught all her life dark magic was evil, why would she do it?

"Eclipsa was always a curious child, much like yourself. She had a fiery spirit her grandfather couldn't tame after her mother's death, and just like every other teenager in the universe, she was quite rebellious. All you had to do was let slip to her that dark magic was forbidden and she was well on her way. Breaking into the royal archives, hunting down ancient books, practicing magic in secret, you name it. She showed such a promise for magic; it was only natural she was able to develop such a deep understanding and mastery of the forbidden art in such a short time. But to actually answer the real question on your mind: Did Eclipsa ever use her spells for evil?"

Star was silent as her cheeks blushed red, ashamed to admit the truth in Glossaryck's words. She knew Eclipsa was not evil, but there was just so much about her past she did not know. Everyone, including her own mother at one point, had thought the woman evil and her fate well-deserved. She knew none of the ancient stories were true, but she could not deny the question had been burning in the back of her mind for some time.

"Well...just like you, I can't really answer that. You'll have to tell me what 'evil' is before I can tell you if she ever used them for 'evil.'"

Star was disappointed not to say the least, but she knew Glossaryck was right. There was no easy answer.

"But, if it makes you feel any better, I can tell you I've never seen Eclipsa cast a spell she did not have a need to use."

* * *

"What are we doing here?" Moon asked as they stepped into the Realm of Time.

"We're going to save my mother. She's the only person who can fix this."

"...Skywynne? She's alive?" Mewman history as Moon knew it said the Queen of Hours had died on the battlefield some three-hundred fifty years ago.

"She is and we have to act quickly to save her. With Omnitraxus gone, there is no one to maintain the multiverse or the strands of space-time. The dimensions will start colliding and one-by-one, they will all be destroyed."

It struck Moon that the earlier earthquake must have been caused by the dimensional shifting. "What do we need to do?"

Scanning the plains, Eclipsa's eyes quickly fell upon a familiar tear in the time stream. It was clear the rip did not belong. It stood out amongst the crystals, crooked, jagged, and emitting an angry red energy. It was the same one she had found with the all-seeing eye spell as a child; the one she knew her mother was trapped in. Her grandfather had been able to contain the rift's chaos and keep it from ripping the time stream apart, but now that he was gone, everything was moving towards entropy. "We need to go in there. Or, rather...you need to go in there."

"You're not coming?" Moon was surprised. Why would Eclipsa not want to be part of her own mother's rescue?

"I can't. It's...I just can't, but trust me, it will be fine. You won't need me." Eclipsa led the silver-haired woman to the rift.

Gazing at its surface, the two could see brief flashes of the battle raging within.

"The loop resets every five minutes. Next time it restarts, you just pop right in, grab Skywynne and pop back out. It is the midst of a war, so just watch out for any flying arrows and swords. You know, the usual war stuff."

Had it not been for the seriousness of the whole situation, Moon would have laughed at Eclipsa's casual tone. She had to admit, the woman's relaxed demeanor was comforting in a way. The task ahead must have been simple if she was not worried about it in the slightest. "Alright. I'll be back, then."

Though Eclipsa appeared outwardly calm as she watched Moon disappear into the rift, she was panicking on the inside. Grabbing her mother was the easy part, but there were still so many things that could go wrong. Omnitraxus had spent decades trying unsuccessfully to find a way to free her mother. Though he could have simply pulled her into the future, it would have led to a complete collapse of the time stream. Her mother had been fated to die that night and not even her grandfather's awesome powers could change that. Omnitraxus being gone may have finally given her a way to access the time loop, but it did not negate the consequences of doing so. Still, if everything was going to go to hell in a handbasket regardless, they might as well make an attempt to save her mother's life.

At least Glossaryck had seemed hopeful about it when they spoke.

* * *

Lying on the grass, Skywynne stared up at the sky, watching the clouds gently pass. She could hear shouting and the clanging of metal meeting metal as her forces and the Monster army fought around her.

"Your majesty! She's down! She's down!"

Skywynne could feel and hear her guards rushing her, panickingly searching her for any wounds and demanding she answer them. She paid them no mind, continuing to stare past them at the sky. She had been through this thousands of times. There was no point in even acknowledging them. As soon as the loop reset, they would be back in their original places with no memory of this incident. She had been looping the same five minutes for what felt like an eternity. She had stopped keeping track of the loops ages ago.

At least they had gone to battle on a nice day. The warm sun against her skin soothed her, even as the sounds of her dying soldiers surrounded her.

"Queen Skywynne!"

She already knew what was coming. From her spot on the grass, she could see a flying spear quickly approaching. Watching in silence as her guards panicked, she refused to move. Just as the projectile was about to strike clean through her head, a flash of light engulfed the field.

Suddenly, she was standing upright once more, sword in hand. It was chaos all around as the Monsters and Mewmans clashed with one another. Her right hand man, her own personal guard, immediately fell beside her, having been struck through the neck by an arrow. She had mourned his death many times in the past, but now she felt nothing. She had grown accustomed to the constant death and destruction.

Her cursed father had trapped her here who knows how long ago. He had begged her to stay in the castle and send her army to fight without her, but she knew she could not do that. What kind of a Queen would ask her people to die willingly in battle while refusing to do the same? Things had not gone according to plan and when the Monster King's spear was about to strike the final blow against her, her father intervened.

* * *

" _Father!" Skywynne shouted into the sky, ignoring the looks she received from her soldiers. Time seemed to freeze around her as the sky split open, revealing Omnitraxus. "What is the meaning of this?! Why am I in a time loop?!"_

" _Don't shout at me like that, it was the only way to save you! If I didn't put you in this loop, that spear would have flown clear through your head!"_

 _Skywynne was silent for a moment. Her father was right. "So what do you plan to do then?" Having grown up under her father's care, she was well acquainted with the space-time stream and all the intricacies it held. She knew he could not simply pull her out of the loop; at least not without dire consequences._

" _I don't...I don't know yet," Omnitraxus confessed, having acted quickly and without thought when he saw his daughter's imminent doom approaching. "I'll figure something out. I'll work with Father Time, we'll figure a way to get you out of here."_

 _If it was to save her life, Skywynne knew she could not argue. "Very well."_

* * *

" _Father!" Skywynne shrieked into the void. She had counted two thousand sixteen loops. At five minutes a loop, she had been trapped here a week and could not take it any longer. She could not bear to keep watching her soldiers fall at the wayside. Every moment she spent trapped in battle only made her realize what a mistake she had made. She could have resolved the issues between the Monsters and the Mewmans without unnecessary fighting. Why did she listen to her father and go to war?_

 _The sky turned a deep crimson red as time froze once more._

" _How much longer will this take?!" Skywynne shouted at Omnitraxus the moment he appeared._

" _I know, I'm sorry. I'm working on it," Omnitraxus responded hesitantly. Things had not been going as smoothly as he had hoped. Father Time had refused to help, well aware of the damage pulling Skywynne out of the isolated loop would cause. He had begged and pleaded with the old man to at least turn back time so he could stop Skywynne from ever going into battle all to no avail. The time-stream was too delicate to toy with just to save one Mewman. He had even gone as far as to seek help from Glossaryck, but the blue man seemed uninterested, only responding in riddles while offering no real help._

" _Just get me out of here!"_

" _I will, dear, I will. Soon. Just give me more time."_

* * *

 _One hundred five thousand one hundred twenty. Skywynne had been trapped in the loop for a full year now. She was falling apart, trapped in her father's little bubble with no escape. With no wand and no scissors, she had no physical way of escaping. It did not matter how far she traveled by foot or horseback, the moment the five minute mark hit, she was back on the battlefield, exactly where she had been when her father first cursed her into the loop. She could not even sleep to pass the time away or just rest, as she would be jolted awake with every loop._

 _Attempts at death provided her no escape either. Any time she was about to be struck, any attempt she made on her own life, simply caused the loop to restart. There was no escape._

 _The sky turned its usual deep red, signaling the arrival of her father. She had known from the start nothing could be done, but had held onto some sliver of hope that he would be able to find some way to save her. Now, her father's visits only served to remind her of who was keeping her prisoner._

" _Hi, sweetie," Omnitraxus cautiously greeted the Queen. She had not been too happy to see him the past few times he had come to check on her and he could not imagine this time would be any different._

" _Have you figured it out?" Skywynne demanded, ignoring the pleasantries._

" _No...not yet, but-"_

" _Then kill me."_

 _Omnitraxus was stunned. "Dear, what's-"_

" _I said kill me!" the desperate woman shrieked. "Put me out of my misery!" She was beginning to lose her mind, living the same five minutes over and over again. She had come to accept the fact there was no escape and if her father did not free her, she would spend an eternity trapped here. She would never age, never see another day, and never see her daughter, Eclipsa, again. She could not bear the idea of a never-ending life spent on the horrid battlefield. There was only one way for her to be freed without destroying the multiverse and that was for her to face her fate and die._

" _Skywynne-"_

" _There is no way to get me out of here, is there?!"_

 _Omnitraxus was silent as he fidgeted with his hands. Though his daughter spoke the truth, it was a truth he did not want to face._

" _I've been here a year, just how much longer do you intend to keep me your prisoner?! How much longer must I suffer here in a war you insisted on starting?!"_

 _He knew the only way to free her would be to destroy the loop he created, but doing so would result in her meeting her actual fate. She was his daughter, his beloved child, the light of his life. No matter how much she cried and begged for it, he could not bring himself to actually do it. "You're my daughter. I...I can't."_

" _So what then?! Do you plan to leave me here forever?!"_

" _Skywynne-"_

" _Just kill me!" she cried to the high heavens, already knowing what his answer would be. "Let that spear through my head and end my suffering! I refuse to spend one more minute here! I refuse to spend all of eternity rotting away here! Let me go! Kill me!"_

 _Horrified at his daughter's demand, Omnitraxus fled without a word, leaving her trapped in the loop._

 _Alone once more in her prison, Skywynne collapsed, burying her face in her hands as she screamed in horror, knowing her father was willingly leaving her here to suffer an eternity._

* * *

"Skywynne!"

Said Queen's eyes snapped open. She did not recognize that voice. She knew every single person in this loop, but had never heard that voice before.

Sitting up, Skywynne was surprised to find a silver-haired woman standing above her. She had no idea who the woman was, but she must have been a Butterfly considering the marking she bore on her cheeks. "Who are you? How did you get here?"

"There's no time for explanation. I'm here to get you out." Moon grabbed Skywynne's wrist, pulling her up off the ground. She kept her eyes focused on the opening in the distance as she ran with the older woman in tow.

"Watch out!" Skywynne quickly pulled her arm back, jerking the mysterious stranger into a sudden halt just as a javelin went flying past.

Turning to the source, Moon found herself staring straight at Globgor. She had seen the Monster countless times in Eclipsa's tapestry, but she never truly appreciated his great size and fearsome appearance until now. She covered her ears as he gave a deafening roar before jumping back into battle. This must have been why Eclipsa did not want to venture into the loop. She would have never left.

Brushing the momentary fright away, Moon returned her attention to the open rift and sprinted towards it. Jumping through with Skywynne close behind, she landed in a jumbled heap on the other side as she lost her footing. Quickly picking herself up, she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Skywynne on the floor beside her, having made it through the opening as well. She had been successful in her mission.

Getting her bearings, Skywynne found herself in the Plains of Time. She was out. She was _free_.

Sobbing, Skywynne threw herself atop Moon as she embraced the woman. "Thank you! Thank you!"

Hearing footsteps behind her, Moon turned her head to see Eclipsa approaching.

Eclipsa had tears of her own running down her face as she knelt down beside the two women. She had not seen her mother in three hundred fifty years; not since she was five. She had been waiting for this moment for so long, but now that it was finally time, she was having doubts. Would her mother even recognize her? Would she accept her? Would she accept her children? Her mother knew nothing of her life. She was so terrified at the prospect of being rejected, she found herself frozen, unable to speak.

Skywynne glanced at the crying woman, almost gasping. She easily recognized the spade cheek marks and striking turquoise hair. "...Eclipsa?"

Said woman nodded silently as her tears continued flowing.

"My baby!" Skywynne released Moon and threw herself at Eclipsa. More sobs escaped her lips as grief and joy overwhelmed her. She had never thought she would ever see her daughter again.

The ground suddenly began shaking once more, the tremors much stronger than the previous quake. Behind the group of royals, the entire sky slowly changed to a deep red color, matching that of the now-closed rift. The clocks littering the landscape began spinning wildly, unable to settle on any specific time as lightning flashed in the distance.

Eclipsa drew her dimensional scissors. "We have to get out of here."

* * *

"How long was I in that loop?" Skywynne asked as she settled down in the bed, the exhaustion finally catching up with her.

"A little over three-hundred fifty years." Eclipsa seated herself on the edge of the bed beside her mother. She had brought her to the cottage and taken her up to her shared room to rest and get reacquainted while the others remained downstairs.

Skywynne was silent as she processed this information. "How are you still alive?"

"Rhombulus froze me. I was trapped in a crystal for over three hundred years."

"Why?" Skywynne felt her heart break at the news. How could Rhombulus have done such a thing to her daughter?

"Well…I fell in love with a Monster." Eclipsa decided not to dance around the issue. She was going to be direct, honest, and simply hope for the best. "I had his child. I refuse to remain married to the vile man Omnitraxus picked out for me and for that they locked me away."

"...I have grandchildren?" Skywynne asked softly in delight.

"Yes. Four, but...one is no longer with us and…two of them are Monsters." Eclipsa hated to make such a distinction, but she needed her mother to understand. She needed to gauge the woman's reaction before she exposed her children to her. She hoped for the best, but still had to prepare for the worst. Her mother was both raised by Omnitraxus and extremely skilled in magic. Who knew what sort of lies and poison her grandfather had filled her mother's head with. She had to be sure her children would not be harmed if they were to meet Skywynne.

"Eclipsa, I don't care," Skywynne said firmly, taking the woman's face into her hands as if she were a young child. "I want to see them. I don't care if they are Monsters or Mewmans. I've spent the past three-hundred fifty years stuck in a warzone, thinking I would never see my baby-girl again. Every moment I was trapped, the only thing running through my head was the endless ways I could have peacefully ended this conflict and saved not only myself, but my fellow soldiers. I listened to my father and asked them to follow me into war, to die for me, and all over what? Nothing. The Monsters just wanted the same things we did. There was no reason we could not co-exist. I don't care if my grandchildren are Monsters, half-Monsters, or Mewman. Bring them to me, I want to meet them."

Eclipsa rushed down the stairs, tears of happiness streaking down her face. "Everyone, come up! Come meet your grandmother!"

Toffee and Meteora followed their mother up the stairs at a more reasonable pace, leaving Moon and Star alone in the living room.

"Go meet her," Moon encouraged, giving Star a quick kiss on the top of her head before standing up from the couch herself.

"You're not coming?" Star asked.

"No, I'm afraid I need to be going, dear."

Star frowned at the news. This was the first time she had seen her mother since she had dropped her off with Tom and Marco weeks ago. She did not want to see her leave so soon. "Will you stay just a little longer? Don't you want to see Skywynne? She's your grandma too."

Moon chuckled. "I suppose she is, but I'm afraid I can't. Perhaps another time." She leaned over and gave the girl a hug. "Goodnight, Star. I love you."

"Love you too." Star followed her mother to the door and stood by, watching her disappear into the forest. Finally closing the door, she made her way up the stairs and stepped into her bedroom.

"There you are, Star. Come say hello!" Eclipsa encouraged.

Star found herself suddenly feeling shy in Skywynne's presence. She had read through the former Queen's chapter and knew of the many powerful spells she authored. Mewman history remembered the Queen of Hours fondly as a brave and powerful ruler. "Hi," she greeted softly.

"Oh my goodness, come here!" Skywynne squealed. She wrapped Star into a hug the moment the girl was within reach. "She has our cheeks!" she cried in delight, giving the blonde girl's face a gentle, playful pinch. Turning her attention back to her daughter, she asked, "Where is that other woman? The one with the diamonds on her face."

"She said she had to go." Star answered.

"Oh, nonsense," Eclipsa protested even though Moon was not in the room to hear. "She's family, she should be here. Toffee, would you be a dear and fetch her, please? I can't imagine she's gotten very far."

"Certainly." Making his way downstairs, Toffee sprinted through the forest, catching up with the Mewman woman in a matter of minutes. "Moon!"

"Toffee!" Moon gasped, startled by his bellowing voice. She had not been expecting anyone to follow her.

"Sorry to startle you, but mother insists you return to meet Skywynne."

"I really can't, but please send my apologies."

"Very well." Just as he was about to leave, Toffee stopped. Where was Moon going? He realized he had no idea where she had been staying this entire time. There was no way she was staying anywhere in the Butterfly Kingdom with a bounty on her head, so where had she been spending her nights? "Wait, Moon. Where are you going?"

"To an old friend. I've been staying with him ever since...well, you know."

He did not need her to finish to know she was talking about being usurped. "I see. Safe travels, then."

"Thank you."

* * *

Closing the door silently behind her, Moon did her best to keep quiet and not wake any of the home's residents as she slowly crept upstairs.

"Queen Moon!"

Said woman suddenly found herself on the ground as she was tackled by a hoard of tadpoles, all clamoring over her, trying to be the first to welcome her. Chuckling, she placed a hand on the head of each child as she greeted them. "Hello, Katrina, Boris, Alexi, Anastasia, Dimitri, Anya, Igor, Mikhail, Leo, Irina, Nadia, Sergei."

The teen tadpoles burst into laughter, elated she could easily match their names to their faces when so few aside from their father could.

"Babushkas, is late. You're supposed to be in beds." Buff Frog helped Moon to her feet as the tadpoles all scrambled to their rooms, wishing the Queen a goodnight on their way up. "Did all go well, Queen Moon? I save you plate in case you are hungry."

"I think it's going to be alright. Thank you."

* * *

"Oh look," Eclipsa remarked sweetly at the sight of Tom and Marco asleep in the living room. "Your friends stayed up waiting for you." She could see a covered plate on the kitchen table, no doubt left out for Star. "Are you hungry, dear?"

"No, but...can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Why do you use dark magic?" Star asked directly.

Eclipsa gave her daughter a soft smile, kneeling down to her level. "What makes you ask that?"

Taking a deep breath, Star held up her wand. "Shadow warp." She kept her eyes glued to the floor, watching as her shadow rose from the ground once more.

"Is this what you and Glossaryck were up to today?" Eclipsa was both amused and delighted to see Star master one of her spells. She had always planned to teach the girl herself and was excited to see she already had an interest in her chapter. She admired her daughter's handiwork until the spell released, causing the shadow to slide back to the floor once more.

"Yeah, but...if everyone told you dark magic was bad, why did you use it? Didn't it scare you?"

Eclipsa perfectly understood Star's worries, having gone through the same thing herself when she was the girl's age. She had felt rather guilty and wrong the first time she used dark magic, hearing her grandfather's words ringing through her ears the entire time. It was only natural for Star to feel the same, having spent her first childhood growing up with the same warnings and misconceptions. "I admit dark magic can be used to frightening results, but I've seen many people with 'good' magic do horrible things as well. I suppose I was not bothered by it because it's not the magic you should fear, but the wielder instead."

"What did you use it for?"

"Well, I _may_ have engaged in some torment and psychological torture in my youth, but it was all well-deserved, rest assured," she jokingly teased. Though she knew what the girl was really asking her, Eclipsa did not feel upset in the slightest. She knew these were only fears plaguing the girl's mind, planted by others, that simply needed to be cleared away. "Evil is...a difficult concept. I'm sure Glossaryck talked you in circles today, didn't he?"

The young girl silently nodded her head.

"It's easy to see the worst in others. It's easy to hand out labels and pass judgement, but truth of the matter is: we're all just victims of our circumstances, some in and some beyond our control. That does not excuse anyone's actions, but it at least gives you an understanding of why someone may have acted the way they did." Eclipsa took Star's face into her hands and brought it close to hers, comfortingly touching her forehead with her daughter's. "But I promise you, I _never_ used my spells for anything evil, regardless of what the Magical High Commission or Mewman history may say."

Star could not help but smile a bit. Why she ever doubted Eclipsa, she did not know. She threw herself forward and wrapped her arms around her mother. "I love you."

"I love you too, dear." The former Queen gave the princess a peck on the cheek. "Goodnight."

After watching Eclipsa disappear back into the portal, Star made her way over to the couch. Careful not to wake Tom or Marco, she turned the television off and nestled herself between the two. Grabbing a blanket off the floor, she covered herself and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.

* * *

"Glossaryck!" Skywynne happily cried out when her old mentor suddenly appeared in the room. She had no idea where he came from, but she did not care. It was nice to see a friendly, familiar face.

"I've missed you, my dear. How are you feeling?" he asked with a smile on his face.

"Like I can sleep for an eternity." Skywynne laid herself back down on the bed. She was looking forward to her first night of uninterrupted sleep.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to hold off on that for just a little longer. There's something important I need to discuss with you."

Skywynne steadied herself as the ground began shaking quite forcefully.

"About that, actually." Glossaryck motioned to the glass of water on the nightstand beside Skywynne, watching as it teetered over the edge before falling and shattering. "I'm sure Eclipsa told you of what became of your father."

"...she did." Skywynne had been rather torn about it. She had been horrified to learn of what Omnitraxus had done to her daughter, grandchildren, and the kingdom after her disappearance, not to mention the fact he had served as her jailer for the past three centuries. But, at the same time, he was her father. She had many fond memories from a childhood spent with him. She held no resentment against Eclipsa for her father's death, but she still could not help but mourn his loss.

"With your father gone, there is no one left to oversee the multiverse. Pulling you from the time loop created a disturbance in the space-time stream that, if not addressed, will pull this and all other timelines apart."

"You want me to try and fix the tear in the space-time continuum?"

"I need you to do a little more than that. As I'm sure you're aware, 'fixing' is not really something we can do. We can only maintain the rift your father created in an attempt to stabilize the time-stream. In short, I need you to take your father's place as overseer of all space-time. As Omnitraxus' only child, you alone hold the power to bend space-time to your will. Otherwise, we can all kiss life, the universe, and everything goodbye."

"You don't leave me much of a choice, do you?" Skywynne chuckled as she climbed out of the bed. She could sleep later. For now, she needed to save the universe as she knew it.

Following Glossaryck through a portal he created, she found herself standing in the Plains of Time once more. The place had continued to fall apart after her rescue and she could see the various dimensions colliding with one another.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath as she entered her butterfly form, calling all her magic to her. Using her power to halt the rapid shifting of dimensions around her, she began the long and arduous task of restoring the time-stream.

* * *

 **I researched and read every article on Wikipedia I could find about space-time and still have no clue what any of it means. Let's all just pretend like I know what I'm doing.**

 **Review please!**


	11. Night Out

**Welcome back!**

* * *

From her seat on his bed, Star watched as Tom combed gel through his hair, slicking it back. "What's the occasion?"

"Just some formal visit from the Pigeons my parents are demanding I be there for. You know how it is."

Star gave a small laugh. She had always hated the countless formal events and visits she had to dress up for as princess. She did not envy Tom in the slightest.

Picking up a length of fabric, Tom looped it underneath his shirt collar, holding the two ends out to Star. "Would you?"

"You still haven't learned after all this time?" Star teased as she took hold of the fabric.

"No need. I'm prince of the Underworld, I have people who do this for me," Tom said in a mock-pompous voice.

Star tied the cravat, pulling the long end of the fabric through the loop around Tom's neck. She tucked the remaining fabric into his waistcoat, flaring out the front so it had a slight puff to it. She suddenly found herself flying through the air as Tom picked her up and swung her around.

"I don't want to go, it's gonna be so boring. Come with me, keep me company." Tom settled Star on his shoulder, gently pulling her hair back with his free hand. "We can put your hair up, get you a nice mask, a dark dress, and there we go. No one would recognize you!"

"Star's not going anywhere."

Still carrying the princess in his arms, Tom turned to see Marco enter his room.

"You can't take her to the Underworld when she's sick. Not to mention _other reasons_."

Tom only sighed, knowing Marco was right.

"We can hang out when you get back." Star tried her best to cheer Tom up as he set her back down on the bed.

"Alright. I'll bring you back those blood candies you love so much." Tom ruffled Star's hair before turning his attention back to Marco. "Say, Marco, why don't you come with me? It's been awhile since Princess Turdina made an appearance in the Underworld. I still don't have a date for today."

"That was one time, ten years ago, and only because I owed you a favor! Besides, why would you even need a date for this?"

"My parents still ask about you, you know. It would make them really happy to see you."

"No, Tom. I have to go to work. You'll be fine for a day."

Star could not help but giggle, imagining all the chicanery the two of them had gotten into in her absence.

"We're going to be heading out now. Do you want anything before I go? I can make you some soup or some tea." Marco fussed over the girl, placing his hand on her forehead to check for a fever. "Do you need some medicine?"

"I'll be fine, Marco. I just need some rest." Star gave him a hug, trying to assure him she would be okay.

"Alright, but I'm leaving my phone on, so you call me if you need anything at all. Okay?"

"Okay. Bye, Marco. Bye, Tom."

* * *

Star waited nearly a half-hour, ensuring both Tom and Marco were long gone before making her move. In reality, she felt perfectly fine and was not sick in the slightest. She hated to lie to her friends like that, but she knew it was the only way she would be able to sneak out. She had been worried one of them would try and stay home with her, but thankfully neither one of them could get out of their obligations for the day.

Entering her butterfly form, she opened a portal with a huge smile spread across her face. Quickly coming out the other side, she found herself exactly where she wanted to be: Castle Ponyhead.

Eagerly ringing the doorbell, she flew through the gates at top speed the moment they opened, only coming to a stop when she burst into the throne room. "Ponyhead!"

All the guards in the room nearly jumped out of their skins at the sudden intrusion, unaccustomed to Star's grandiose entries.

Ponyhead was the only one to remain calm, zipping her way over to Star and circling the girl. "B-Fly, no way! Is that really you?!"

Star threw her arms around Ponyhead's neck, giving the fellow royal a crushing hug. "I've missed you so much!"

"When I saw your old pictures on the wanted posters, I thought they were using them because that was all they had. I didn't think you'd still look the same! Girl, what's your secret?" Ponyhead pulled out of Star's hug to circle around her once more. "How do you stay so young? Come on, help a queen out!"

"Queen?" Star asked, wonderstruck at the revelation. "You're Queen Ponyhead now?"

"The one and only!" Ponyhead whipped her long pink mane behind her, allowing it to fall freely.

"Then...you would know what's going on!" Star felt her excitement surge at the prospect of finally getting some answers.

"What?"

"Ponyhead, what's been happening in Mewni?" Star thought back to the night her mother burst into the cottage, all banged up like she had just come from battle. She still had no idea what happened that night or why she had been sent away so suddenly. "I think something happened to my mom, but...I don't know what. You gotta help her."

"Sorry, B-Fly. No way. Ain't happening."

Star's face instantly fell. "What?"

"Girl, Rich Pigeon and his kingdom are scary! They took over the Butterfly Kingdom and kicked your mom out!" Ponyhead snapped, irritated with the princess' naivety. "They've got these new full body suits and they're _real_ huge and scary strong. I'm not getting on the wrong side of that!"

"But-"

"Besides," Ponyhead continued, ignoring Star's protests, "my subjects are like pretty unhappy with your mom and all. She's lied to us a lot and she's been getting kinda cozy with the Monsters ever since you disappeared and...yeah, they don't like that."

"That's not a bad thing!" The two of them had spent so much time together trying to mend the bridge between Monsters and Mewmans. How could Ponyhead think her mom doing the same was such a horrible idea?

"Girl, are you crazy?! The Magical High Commission told us you were killed by Monsters! We all thought your mama went crazy when she wouldn't go to war with them after that."

"What?! No- I wasn't- they didn't!" Star ran her hand through her hair, trying to calm herself. How could Ponyhead do this? Her best friend! How could she betray her and everything they had worked so hard for? Especially now, when Ponyhead was Queen and finally had some political clout she could throw around. Tears were welling in her eyes as her heart broke. "How could you? We worked so hard for this. _You_ worked so hard for this."

"Sorry B-fly." Ponyhead merely shrugged, clearly apathetic to the cause she had once claimed to champion. "Things change. I gotta give my people what they want and they don't want nothing to do with your mom or the Monsters."

Star's sorrow quickly shifted to anger as her brows furrowed. "So you won't help then?!"

"Star...I'm really sorry about this."

The blonde girl's eyes widened in horror as she saw Ponyhead's horn light up. Before she had time to react, she found herself suddenly engulfed in pink flames. She fell to the floor, shrieking in absolute agony as she felt her skin sear.

"Rich Pigeon's been after you ever since we learned you were still alive. He's been taking kingdoms left and right and I gotta try and stay on his good side. Who knows who he'll come after next."

Star sobbed as she lay on the floor, though she had no idea what hurt more: the burns or her best friend's betrayal. Never in a million years would she have ever imagined this happening.

"Guards! Grab her!"

Panicking and blinded by pain, Star opened a portal underneath herself. Falling through the ground, she flipped herself around in time to see the pile of rocks she was falling towards.

Putting her arms up, Star tried her best to shield herself, but still hit the rocks head-on.

Collapsed and disoriented on the ground once more, she struggled to identify her surroundings as her vision began swimming in and out. All she could see was some distant, blurry figure approaching.

Unable to stay conscious any longer, she closed her eyes, allowing everything to fade to black.

* * *

"Alright, guys. Break for lunch!"

The students all groaned, happily running off to get their food and rest.

"So overdramatic!" Marco tsked playfully at his students. "I gotta make a call, so keep it down for a few minutes."

"Yes, Sensei!"

Stepping into his office, Marco put his feet up on his desk and grabbed the nearby phone. He just wanted give Star a quick call and make sure everything was okay. Punching in the first few digits to her cell phone, he stopped when a portal suddenly appeared in the room.

This was no ordinary portal. It was a brilliant gold color, streaked with red flames.

It was Hekapoo.

"Hekapoo!" Moon's warning ran through the young man's mind as he kept his cool. "Long time no see. What's up?"

"Yeah, sorry about that. Things have been pretty crazy back on Mewni." Hekapoo paused for a moment. There was no point in pleasantries or beating around the bush. With Omnitraxus and Rhombulus gone, she knew she was running out of time and options. "Listen, I need to ask you a favor; it's urgent. I need your help finding Star."

"Star?" Marco feigned ignorance. "You told me she was dead."

"'Was' is the keyword here. Eclipsa has her now and brainwashed her with her evil magic. Marco...Star is not the same girl you once knew. She killed Rhombulus. She's dangerous."

Marco suddenly recalled the markings on Star's arms; all too similar to the ones Moon and Eclipsa both bore. Though Eclipsa had told him of what really happened, she had made no mention of how the girl got the dark markings. He knew it had something to do with one of the Dark Queen's spells, but he had never actually seen it in effect. Regardless, he was unswayed. Even if Hekapoo was telling the truth, something he could not be certain of thanks to her spotty past, he knew Star would never have attacked Rhombulus without reason.

"Sorry, Hekapoo. I'd love to help, but I can't just up and leave right now. I'm not a kid anymore, I've got responsibilities." Marco motioned to the dojo and group of rambunctious children just outside the office, hoping she would be satisfied with his excuse.

Tempted as she was to simply grab the boy and drag him back to her home dimension as she often did in his youth, Hekapoo knew he was right. "Alright, but call me if you hear or see anything about Star."

"I will."

* * *

Star could hear the high-pitched screaming before she even opened her eyes. She felt much calmer than before, well aware of the fact the screams meant she were only dreaming.

Looking around her, the young princess found herself seated at a table, surrounded by people she did not know. There were several men and woman clad in ancient armor at the table, but the only person who looked remotely familiar was the brunette woman seated at the head of the table with the crown of Mewni resting on her head. She recognized her as the woman from her previous dreams and visions. Andromeda, was it?

"Our food and supplies are running low. If we strike now, we can catch the Monsters off guard and seize the corn fields for ourselves!" one of the armored knights spoke eagerly.

"What?" Andromeda scoffed, bewildered by the suggestion. "The only reason we have corn at all is because of the Monsters. We intruded on their lands! They allowed us to stay! Taught us how to grow corn! They're the only reason we did not starve this past winter and you want me to order an attack on them?!"

"Queen Andromeda, please. You have to think about the long-term. Yes, they've granted us some land, but it is nowhere near large enough for our people. Our numbers will surely grow. We can't live like this forever!" The knight motioned to the poorly constructed hut they were in. "These shelters were only meant to be temporary."

"Then perhaps instead of directing our attention at war, we should focus on more sustainable measures and more secure housing."

The armor-clad man was about to object, but stopped when Andromeda lifted her hand.

"Alder, I won't hear any more of this. We came to these lands in search of freedom, not war. We are few in numbers and even if battle was a legitimate option, our people are too weak from hunger to fight."

"But we have your magic!"

"Yes, to help the people. Not to put them all at risk with pointless warfare. My decision is final." Andromeda stood up, revealing her swollen and clearly pregnant stomach. Without another word, she marched out of the shabby hut.

* * *

Coming to for a second time, Star jumped up and gasped. She was really awake this time, but she had no idea where she was. She was lying on a couch in some run-down house, surrounded by several green bird-like monsters, varying in age from toddler to young adult. "Who are you? Where am I?"

Before any of the birds could answer, a shrill voice shrieked from behind them. "What is she doing here?! She can't be here!"

Star recognized that voice. Peering over the group, she found a much shorter bird angrily stomping towards her. "Ludo?"

"I don't know what sob story you have, but I already told your mother: I want nothing to do with her little army or her! I don't want or need any help from you Mewmans!"

Star was silent, still trying to process what was happening. Ludo was now in her face, having pushed past the others and jumped up onto the couch beside her. He was clearly upset, but it did not look like he was going to hurt her.

"Oh, don't look at me like that!" Ludo snapped, jabbing a finger into Star. "I don't need your pity, we're doing just fine! Just because I'm not like my mom and dad doesn't mean I can't rule the Groundlands! I'm a better king now than you'll ever be, Star Butterfly! Now get out of my house!"

Star watched as Ludo stormed away, completely confused and unsure of anything he had just ranted about.

"Hey, sorry about that," the bird closest to Star spoke. "Don't mind my big brother. He's just in one of his moods today."

"Who are you?" Star asked once more, pulling away when the Monster tried to bring a washcloth to her face.

"I'm Dennis. The guy who was yelling is my brother, Ludo. You two already know each other though, right?"

"How did I get here?"

"I found you out in the forest. I think you hit your head pretty hard. How did you fall? What happened?" Dennis tried once more to wipe the girl's face with the cloth. He had already stopped the bleeding earlier while she had been unconscious, but he still needed to clean and bandage the wound. Her chest and neck needed attention as well; the skin there blistered and burned red.

"Nothing. I'm fine," Star said as she pulled away once more. Dennis seemed nice enough, but she still did not know if she could trust him. Judging by Ludo's reaction, it was clear she was not wanted here. "Thanks for the help, but I need to go." She hopped off the couch and squeezed past the Monster siblings, trying to quickly reach the door.

"Where are you going?" Dennis followed close behind her, concerned about her state. The girl should not be travelling through the forest alone in her condition. "Let me come with you, just to make sure you get there okay."

"No!" Star stopped in her tracks. "I'll...be fine."

"Oh, okay." Dennis could see the girl getting nervous at the prospect of being followed. He did not want to frighten her more by trying to force her to stay. "But come back if you need help. Don't mind Ludo, he doesn't really mean any of that."

Somehow, Star doubted that, but she was not about to stay and argue. "Okay."

"The main path is just a quarter mile north of here. Be careful." Dennis watched her disappear before turning to his gaggle of siblings. "We need to find Queen Moon. And quick!"

* * *

In the mood for a cup of tea, Meteora set the kettle on the stove and used her magic to light a green flame underneath. She pulled a seat up to the kitchen window, enjoying the view of the front garden, or rather, what was left of it. With Star gone and the rest of them too busy with all the recent events, the garden had been left unattended for some time. Many of the plants were beginning to wilt and she could see some weeds starting to sprout. She did not have much of a green thumb herself, but she knew she was eventually going to have to figure something out. It would crush Star if she came home to find the garden she worked so hard on in ruins.

Hearing the sound of shuffling coming from the distance, Meteora tensed. She could see the leaves rustling in the nearby bushes, no doubt someone trying to push their way through. Had they finally been found? No matter, she would take care of the uninvited guest and make sure their location was not compromised. Just as she was about to get up, she froze when she saw Star stumble out of the shrubbery, clearly injured. "Toffee! Toffee, come quick!"

Meteora quickly ran out to the girl and gently took hold of her shoulders, examining the extent of the damage. "Star, what happened?"

The blonde girl was unable to articulate a response as she cried, still reeling from both the pain of her physical wounds and her best friend's betrayal.

Meteora quickly ushered her into the house where Toffee stood waiting, equally upset by the girl's condition. She laid Star down on the living room couch to better examine her. "Why is your hair wet? Did you try and clean this already?"

Star shook her head 'no.' If it had been cleaned, Dennis must have done it while she had been unconscious. She watched as Toffee disappeared upstairs only to return moments later with bandages and other first aid supplies.

Meteora wasted no time soaking a washcloth in warm water and cleaning the cut on Star's head. It was not a serious wound; only looking worse than it actually was because of the smeared, dried blood. The burns were another story. "There's no easy way to put this, Star, but this is going to hurt."

Star bit her lip, nodding her head for the older woman to continue.

Knowing it would be the path of least pain and resistance, Meteora took a pair of surgical scissors from the first aid kid and began cutting away at the girl's dress. The scissors slid through the hem of the dress with ease, slowing down as she reached the girl's stomach. Trying as gently as she could, she began peeling the charred fabric from Star's seared skin.

Star screamed in agony, unable to contain herself. The scorching sensation on her skin settled slightly when she felt cool water being splashed onto her by Toffee.

The two older Butterflys worked together, alternating between removing the remnants of Star's dress and soothing her burns with water.

Once all the fabric had been removed and the burns thoroughly rinsed and cleaned, Meteora allowed the girl's skin to dry before applying ointment and bandaging her chest. "Up we go," the silver-haired woman said, helping Star into a sitting position.

Star's cries softened into silent tears and the occasional hiccup, feeling much better after having her injuries treated. "Where's mom?" she asked.

"She and grandmother left, but they did not say where," Toffee answered.

"How did this happen?" Meteora knew it was a mistake to trust Star to Turdina and that demon. How could they have allowed this to happen? She soaked the washcloth in cool water and applied it to the light burns that scattered Star's neck and lower cheeks, using her other hand to soothingly rub the girl's back.

"That's what I intend to find out." Toffee held his hand out to Meteora. "May I?"

Nodding her head, Meteora drew her dimensional scissors and handed them to her brother.

Toffee swiftly cut a portal and disappeared. He stepped back out not even a moment later, dragging Marco with him by the front of his karate uniform.

"Hey, I'm working here!" Marco tried to wrench his shirt free as he was dragged away. Where did Toffee get off, thinking he could just storm into his dojo and drag him away in the middle of class?

"What is the meaning of this?!" Toffee demanded as he released Marco, pointing to Star.

"Star!" Marco rushed over to the girl, absolutely horrified to see her so badly beaten. "What happened?!"

"That's what we're asking you!" Meteora snapped.

"I don't know! She was feeling sick, I had work, and Tom had something to do so we let her stay home!" Turning his attention back to Star, Marco did not know what to do. He could tell by her tears she was clearly hurt, but he was not sure if giving her a hug would cause her more pain. He should have known better than to leave her alone like that. He promised Moon he would not let her out of his sight and now, thanks to him, she was hurt. "I'm so sorry."

"You left her alone?! You were supposed to be watching over her!" It took every ounce of Meteora's willpower not to beat the human senseless for this. She knew leaving Star in his care was a mistake. Why did her mother refuse to listen?

"I thought she could handle herself! I didn't know this would happen! I'm sorry!" Marco already felt guilty enough, he did not need Meteora to rub it in further. "Besides, it's a good thing I left her behind. Hekapoo came to the dojo looking for her. If Star was with me, she would have been found."

"You damned fool!" Toffee growled. "Hekapoo came looking for her and you did nothing?!"

"What did you want me to do?! Run home and lead her right to Star?!"

"Stop!" Ignoring the pain it caused her, Star pulled away from Meteora and quickly ran in between the two arguing men. "Please, this isn't Marco's fault! I was the one who ran off! I lied to him! I told him I wasn't feeling well so I could sneak off to the Cloud Kingdom and see Ponyhead! She did this to me! Please ...don't be mad at Marco..."

* * *

Star sat on her swing outside, enjoying the cool breeze against her skin. Several hours had passed since she returned home, and though the chilly night air calmed her, she found herself still incredibly upset over Ponyhead's betrayal and the scene playing out in front of her now. Through the window, she could see Toffee, Meteora, Marco, and Tom all arguing over where she would be staying from now on. Eclipsa was the only person at the table not outwardly upset, keeping her calm demeanor even as the other four shouted back and forth at one another. Though she missed her family dearly, she knew if she were to remain in the forest with Toffee and Meteora, they would never allow her to see Marco and Tom again.

How could she have been so stupid? She was going to lose Marco and Tom and it was all her own fault. The boys must have been devastated to see her like this. How could she have been so selfish and run off like that? Looking through the window once more, she made eye contact with Eclipsa who gave her a reassuring smile and a small wave.

Hearing the sound of shuffling leaves behind her, Star turned just in time to see a familiar figure emerge from the foliage. "Mom!" She jumped off the swing and ran towards the woman, wrapping her into a hug.

"Oh, Star," Moon lamented softly at the sight of her daughter, gently brushing some hair out of the girl's face. "I heard what happened. Are you okay?" It did not take long for word to spread through Mewni of Star's appearance in the Cloud Kingdom. The Queen knew if the girl was still on Mewni, there was only one place she would be: the Forest of Certain Death. Thankfully, she was right.

"I'm fine, but…" Star felt tears well in her eyes once more. "Ponyhead! She just attacked me! We were best friends, how could she do that?"

"There, there," Moon took a seat on the ground, pulling her daughter into a sitting position beside her, holding her close in an effort to comfort her. "People change, sometimes for the worst."

Star pulled away from her mother, looking up to her with pleading eyes. "Mom, what's happening? Ponyhead said Rich Pigeon overthrew you. Is that true?"

Moon was hesitant to answer, but knew she could not hide the truth any longer. "...yes."

"Why didn't you tell me this?!" Star demanded, getting angry at the fact her mother was still keeping secrets from her. Was this why she was sent away to Earth?

"I didn't want to worry you, Star. I know your fight with Rhombulus was scary and with the rest of the Magical High Commission after you...I...I just wanted you to be happy. I wanted you to be able to enjoy at least one of your youths. I know how much you loved spending time with Thomas and Marco on Earth in your previous life. I just wanted you to be able to enjoy your time with them as much as possible without having to worry about me or what was happening here. I am Queen; Mewni is my burden to bear."

Star calmed down, not realizing how much this had been tearing her mother apart as well. The woman only had her best interest at heart. How could she be mad at her?

There was a long silence before the blonde girl spoke once more. "What happened? In the fourteen years I was gone, what's happened in Mewni?"

"After your disappearance I tried to pick up where you left off. Buff Frog and I were working quite a bit on improving Monster-Mewman relations, but it...well, it has not been going so well. Richard and Ponyhead took over after their parents' passing. Your cousin Rock has grown quite tall and is turning into a fine young prince. His parents are quite proud of him, as am I. A few years ago, Princess Spiderbite ran off with a Monster. I think you know him. Slime, was it? That was a difficult time for us all. Her parents were outraged, but, thankfully, not in a position to start a war with the Monsters. They instead disowned their daughter and Penelope's been in hiding ever since. Only a few people know, but she and Slime recently had a little boy. He's absolutely adorable."

Star's face lit up in joy at the news. Slime and Spiderbite were still together after all these years? And they had a boy? She wanted so desperately to see him.

"Ludo became king of the Groundlands after his parents passed. I know he didn't have much hands-on experience with running a kingdom, so I've been _trying_ to help, but he's quite stubborn. You think he would at least accept my help to rebuild Castle Avarius, but what can you do? Thankfully, his siblings are much more understanding and grateful. His brother Dennis is so sweet and charming. At least there's still some hope for the kingdom."

"I saw Ludo today!" Star interjected. "He said he didn't want to join your war." She paused for a moment, putting the pieces of the story together. "Are you...raising an army to fight Rich Pigeon?"

Before Moon could answer, the two were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps.

"May I join you ladies?" Eclipsa asked.

"Of course." Moon welcomed both the woman and the interruption.

"Is everything okay?" Star asked nervously as Eclipsa took a seat beside her on the forest floor.

"Of course it is." Eclipsa stroked the blonde girl's hair. "You're safe now, aren't you?"

"Are Toffee and Meteora still mad?"

"Well, they're certainly upset...as am I."

Star frowned, but knew it was fair. She had put everyone through a lot.

"We worry about you, Star," Eclipsa explained calmly as she wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "We'd be devastated if anything happened to you. We love you so much."

"I'm sorry for sneaking off like that," Star apologized to both women.

"We sent you to Earth for a reason, but I suppose this is a little our fault for not telling you why." Star only knew of the danger she faced if found by the commission. She knew nothing of Rich Pigeon's search for her or the control he exerted over the other kingdoms. Considering how rebellious and headstrong the girl was, Eclipsa was not entirely sure Star would have stayed put even if she had known the truth, but there was no point in scolding her now. She had already learned her lesson and quite painfully so.

Eclipsa wrapped her arm around Star's other shoulder so the younger girl was embraced on both sides. "Besides, you're a teenager," she said in a lighter tone, trying to cheer her daughter up. "I'd be worried if you _didn't_ try sneaking off at some point. You should have seen me when I was your age; no one was ever able to find me! I'm more upset you weren't sneaking away from me. My baby's first act of teenage rebellion and I missed it!" She leaned into the girl, ending her joking tirade with a dramatic sigh.

Star could not help but laugh at the older woman's antics. She did feel better knowing her mothers were not too angry with her.

"Making mistakes is part of growing up," Eclipsa continued. "With this mistake, you've acquired a new bit of knowledge, and you know what I always like to say."

"All knowledge is good knowledge," Star repeated the mantra in a heartbeat, having heard it thousands of times growing up with Eclipsa.

"That's right." Eclipsa placed a kiss on the top of Star's head. "Marco and Tom are ready to take you home when you are."

The blonde girl lit up at the news, delighted to learn she would be returning to her friends. Her only hesitation came when she turned to her biological mother. She had not seen Moon in some time and was hesitant to leave after spending only a short period of time with her.

"Go now," Moon insisted before her daughter had the chance to articulate her worry, already knowing what was on the girl's mind. "I'll see you as soon as I can. It's getting late and you need to rest." She too leaned over and gave the girl a kiss. "Have a good night, Star. I love you."

"Goodnight, Mom." Star leaned into Moon and returned the gesture with a goodnight kiss of her own. "Goodnight, Mom," she repeated, giving Eclipsa a kiss as well.

Moon chuckled, still amused that Star was referring to both of them as 'mom.'

The two older Butterflys watched as the younger one dusted herself off and quickly ran into the house. Even from their distance, they could see the girl throw herself into Tom and Marco's arms before disappearing into a portal back to Earth.

"Where are you heading now, Moon?" Eclipsa asked.

Moon rose from the ground, holding her hand out to Eclipsa to help the woman up. "I'll be continuing through Mewni in search of allies."

Even after she was up, Eclipsa kept her grip on Moon's hand, refusing to allow her to pull away. "You look tired. Why don't you stay the night with us here?"

"Thank you, but I have one more stop I need to make before I turn in for the day."

Eclipsa reluctantly released Moon's hand. "Very well. I suppose I have some matters to take care of as well. Be safe."

"I will."

* * *

Moon knocked on the door, glad to see smoke coming from the house's fireplace.

"Queen Moon!" Dennis answered the door in surprise, not expecting her to visit so late in the night. "Please, come in. Let me make you some tea."

"That's alright, Dennis, thank you," Moon politely declined. "I just wanted to drop by and let you know that Star is safe and doing well."

"I'm so glad to hear that!" The relief was evident in the bird's voice as he spoke. "I'm sorry I couldn't get her to stay."

"You did plenty, Dennis. Thank you for all your help." Moon placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Of course, Queen Moon. We're always here if you need us."

"Thank you. Have a goodnight."

* * *

Taking a moment to collect herself, Eclipsa drew her dimensional scissors and swiftly cut a portal. Her two older children followed behind her in silence, staying close once they arrived at their destination: The Monster Temple.

Eclipsa angrily marched to the entrance, forcefully slamming the grand doors open with a loud clang. "Rich Pigeon!" her voice echoed through the sacred grounds, sending all the nearby birds into a flutter.

"Ah, Queen Eclipsa," a smooth voice came from above as said pigeon landed before the trio. "Welcome. I'm glad to see you received my summons."

"Why have you called me here?" The Queen of Darkness spoke harshly with no patience for pleasantries or games. She had received his summons months ago while out traveling, before Star had even regained her old memories, but simply ignored it, having no interest in entangling herself with Mewman politics. But with all that happened earlier in the day, she found herself with no choice but to actually meet with the pigeon.

"We invited you here to help usher in a new chapter in Mewni's history. I want you to take your rightful place as Queen of both Mewni and the Monster Empire." Richard bowed before Eclipsa, prompting the hundreds of other pigeons in the hall to do the same. "We stand ready to serve you."

Eclipsa narrowed her eyes. This was not the story the bird had given Moon before he overthrew her; it was quite the opposite. For someone who was busy seizing power, he sure seemed eager to give it away. "I have no interest in any such arrangement nor any power games you intend to play. My days as royalty are long over and I have no intention of changing that."

"That is a shame to hear," Rich Pigeon replied somberly, as if genuinely upset by the former Queen's decision. "And what of you, Meteora: one true heiress to both the Mewman and Monster thrones? Will you rise and accept your birthright?"

"No." Meteora's tone was cold and sharp, making it clear there was no room for discussion or debate.

Richard turned to Toffee. "What of-"

"No."

"We're not joining you in whatever ridiculous plans you have!" Eclipsa snapped before the King could say anything else. The pigeon's summons was not even what brought her to the Monster Temple in the first place. "What is the meaning of this?!" she demanded, drawing a wanted poster of Star from her sleeve and holding it to the bird's face.

"Ah, yes. Ponyhead has already informed me of what transpired earlier today. I had quite a few stern words with her over her actions. I apologize for that oversight; I never intended any harm to come to Star. Star will play a very important role in my future plans, even more so now since you have refused to join me."

Was he...threatening her? Regardless, Eclipsa was unfazed. "Star is not a part of this conflict and we will not allow you to drag her into it! You have no business with her. You are to stop your search for her at once! Furthermore, I demand you vacate these premises immediately!" She motioned to all the pigeons around the grand hall of the temple. "This temple was a refuge for any Monster or Mewman seeking deliverance! I will not allow you to taint my late husband's legacy or these sacred grounds with your violent ways!"

"Very well," Rich Pigeon conceded, knowing he stood no chance against the three of them at the moment with so few soldiers on hand. "We will begin packing immediately. I hope you will still reconsider my offer."

* * *

 **Review please!**


	12. Return to St Olga's

**Welcome back!**

* * *

Marco sighed as a knock from the door interrupted his reading. Considering the previous day's events, he already knew who it would be and was not surprised she had come around so early, but it still did not make it any less pleasant for him. Setting the newspaper down, he begrudgingly made his way to the door, opening it with a clear frown on his face. "Meteora," he greeted curtly.

"Turdina," the woman responded with an equal lack of excitement.

"Star!" Marco called for the girl, already at his limit for conversation with the older woman.

The bathroom door flung open as said girl came running down the short hallway, her face still wet from having just been washed. "Meteora!" she cried happily, wrapping her arms around her adoptive sister's waist.

"There you are, dear." Meteora reached into her sleeve and drew a handkerchief, using it to dry the girl's face. She reached under Star's chin and lifted it up, turning her head left and right so she could see how the girl's lighter burns were healing. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good. It still hurts, but it feels a lot better."

"Good. Come here, let's take a look." Meteora placed a hand on Star's shoulder and led her to the pull-out bed in the living room. Laying the girl down, she gently removed the bandages from her torso and inspected the wound. The skin was still a deep red and blistering, but at least it had not gotten any worse overnight.

Applying more ointment to the burns, Meteora gently re-bandaged the wound. She gave the girl's head a quick check over as well, removing the bandages from her forehead completely when she saw the scrape had already begun healing itself and no longer required constant pressure. "You go finish getting yourself cleaned up, I'll make you something to eat."

"You're going to make something for Marco and Tom too, right?" Star asked before getting up. She really wished they would all get along better, but considering the past they shared, she could not really blame them.

"They're big boys, they can feed themselves."

"But they haven't eaten yet either. Please?" Star pleaded, knowing Meteora would cave in to her request with just the right amount of sweet talk.

"Alright," the silver-haired woman admitted defeat. "But only because you asked. Now go get dressed."

Marco overheard the entire discussion from his spot in the kitchen. Though he greatly disliked the former headmistress, he was not going to say no to a meal he did not have to make. Still, he could never be too safe. He lowered his newspaper enough just to be able to peek over it, making sure the woman did not slip anything into the food.

Meteora worked quickly, preparing a simple breakfast of eggs and toast that she dished into three separate plates.

Star returned to the kitchen, fully dressed and ready for the day. Taking a seat at the table, she began shoveling food into her mouth. "Thanks, Meteora."

"You're welcome, dear." Meteora washed her hands, leaving the cooking utensils out by the sink. If she cooked, Turdina could clean. "I won't be staying for long, but I'll come by tonight to check on you before you go to sleep."

"Where are you going?" Star asked almost sadly, hoping the woman would have stayed a little longer.

"My old school. I have some things I need to check on."

Now that she thought about it, Star had not heard anything about St. Olga's in the past fourteen years. Meteora had never made any mention of it and she herself had completely forgotten about it. What had happened to the place? Was it still overrun by princesses? "Can I come with you?" she asked hopefully, eager to see what had become of the old school.

Meteora was a little hesitant. Though the school had been abandoned long ago, she was still not sure what she would find there. She was only stopping by because she had heard rumors of suspicious figures passing through and she did not want Star coming along if there was going to be a possibility of her getting injured. On the other hand, the girl could not possibly be in any more danger with her than she was with the boys, especially considering what had happened just the other day. At least if the girl was with her, she could ensure she would be supervised.

"Don't you want to come to the dojo, Star?" Marco offered, alarmed by the idea Star would be visiting that dingy old prison. "The other kids were asking about you yesterday. They missed you."

"Actually, yes, why don't you come with me?" Meteora immediately interjected. She could not believe that buffoon was going to take Star to his ridiculous fighting school in her current condition. The princess was headstrong and stubborn; she knew if Star went to the dojo she would still want to fight, regardless of her injuries. "You can always go with Turdina another day. I don't go to my school that often."

"Sorry, Marco," Star apologized with a huge grin as she inhaled the remainder of her food before jumping out of her seat and taking off behind Meteora.

* * *

 _I hear Princess Rei was stood up by Prince Eric_

 _I'm pretty sure Princess Spiderbite is in love with a Monster_

 _Princess Blue Fin's pearls aren't even real_

Star giggled to herself as she read the graffiti in what was once the Whispering Gardens. The walls had so much more writing on them since her last visit, and while she recognized some names, most of them she did not. She could not wait to get inside to see what had become of the rest of the place.

Meteora had a more serious expression on her face, knowing something was off the moment she had stepped out of the portal. The giant tramorfidian crystal tower that Star had knocked down over a decade ago was nowhere to be found. She knew it had to have been recently taken as it was there when she had last checked on the school six months ago.

The former schoolmaster walked along the garden wall beside Star, more focused on the actual structure than its aesthetic appearance. She noticed several bricks missing from the wall, all of which had been part of her anti-magic security measures. The rest of the bricks were untouched. Whoever had done this knew exactly what they were looking for and how to get it.

She continued walking along the perimeter of the school in search of anything else that might have been out of place.

* * *

"Don't stray too far, Star," Meteora warned the young princess as she took off down the empty hallways.

The place was an absolute mess, but it was a sight the former headmistress had grown accustomed to. After ousting her from her own school, the young princesses had spent a few years partying non-stop in her institution, finally leaving when they grew weary. It was not a sustainable lifestyle, but they lasted much longer than she had anticipated. Between the girls all refusing to work, cook, or clean, the trash and filth quickly piled up. Fighting broke out between them as they could no longer stand the sty they found themselves living in, but none of them wanted to actually be the ones to clean the place up. Eventually, they grew bored of the partying and came to miss home and their families. One by one, they left until the place was abandoned.

The school now served as a temporary safe-house for any runaway princess seeking inspiration and the occasional teenage hangout spot. Meteora checked in on the place every so often, chasing away anyone she found. Though she had no intention of ever reopening her school, she still did not want anyone else to take up permanent residence there or attempt to reopen it in her place.

Running down the hall, Star could not help but smile to herself as she ran her hands across the graffiti.

 _It's not criminal to be an individual_

She remembered all of this. The place seemed to be in worse condition than she last recalled, but how much was ruined by time and how much by the princesses' continued partying after her disappearance she did not know. The place was absolutely littered with the possessions of the school's former residents with everything from hair brushes to tattered gowns scattered across the empty halls.

Running down the path she vaguely remembered, she squealed as she finally found what she had been looking for: the Hall of Turdina.

Much like the rest of the place, it had fallen into disrepair with the many posters peeling off the walls and a thick layer of dust covering the sparsely stocked shelves of merchandise. A little disappointed at the sight, Star instantly lit up when she spotted a doll face-down on the ground, hidden behind a shelf. Reaching behind the shelf for the doll, she pulled it out and turned it over in her hand, wiping the dust off the button eyes.

"Remember this?!" Star practically shoved the doll in Meteora's face the moment the woman scurried in, having picked up her pace after hearing the blonde girl's excited shriek.

"How could I forget? You two miscreants got me thrown out of my own school." Meteora playfully ruffled the girl's hair. "Let's keep moving."

Tucking the doll under her arm, Star followed Meteora out of the hall.

* * *

"Oh my gosh, was this your room?!" Star asked eagerly as she followed her adoptive sister into what looked to be a private bedroom. It was decorated in a dark Victorian theme, much like the princesses' dormitories, the only difference being the room contained a desk, a bookshelf, and was much larger.

"Yes, it was." Meteora approached the desk and drew a key from the sleeve of her dress, unlocking the file drawer.

Star's eyes immediately locked onto the closet. Skipping over, she threw the doors open and wasted no time rummaging through the drawer set she found in there.

"Star," Meteora called to her bemusingly, "what if I had intimates in there?"

"...do you?"

"No."

"Then we're all good." Star went back to raiding the closet.

With a chuckle, Meteora returned her attention to the desk. Opening the file drawer, she was shocked to find it completely empty. The drawer had been filled mostly with record-keeping materials for the school, but it did also contain blueprint layouts of the actual building and instructional information about the security measures in place. This was no coincidence. Whoever had taken them had to have been the same person who took her tramorfidian crystal. Nothing else in the school seemed out of place; not that there was much else to take. But it just begged the question: Why? Why would they want it?

Done poking through the disappointingly empty drawers and closet, Star turned her attention to the bookshelf next to the wardrobe. Glancing through the dust-covered spines, she found several books on manners, etiquette, child development, education and teaching practices. Grabbing a random book from the shelf, she began thumbing through it out of curiosity. The pages were annotated, folded over, and had clearly spent hours being poured over. Inside the book were several loose pieces of paper, all detailing lesson plans of sort in crisp, neat writing.

Star was actually saddened at the sight. It looked like her sister had really wanted to be a teacher at some point, so how did it all come to this? St. Olga's was focused on manners and etiquette, not so much on academics, and Meteora had not taught any classes herself as headmistress. Though she had always hated her lessons in the forest, even she had to admit the older woman was a great teacher. "Meteora...why did you open St. Olga's?"

The former headmistress was surprised by the question. In all her two hundred fifty years of running the place, no one had ever asked her why. "Because I had to. Or, at least I felt I did. When you're royalty, it really is criminal to be an individual."

Star frowned. Did Meteora still really feel that way after all these years?

"I've never thought of individuality as a bad thing," Meteora continued, "but as princesses, it's something none of us are able to afford. I was a private tutor for royal families before I opened this school and no matter what dimension I went to, it was always the same. The girls, my students, were great. So full of spirit, interests, hopes, and dreams for their future kingdoms, but...that was the problem. At least to their parents it was. The princesses' individuality was nothing more than a black mark against the backdrop of a perfect family tree."

The silver-haired woman paused for a moment, upset as she recalled her early days as a teacher. "When a princess got too rambunctious, too free-spirited; when she started questioning the way things were, when her wild spirit couldn't be tamed...well, she was _taken care of_ , so to speak."

It unnerved Star to think anyone could see their child's individuality as something so negative, but she knew it was a common occurrence amongst the Mewman royal families. She was the only princess who had not been sent to St. Olga's, though her parents had threatened to multiple times. Considering the size of the school or the countless graduates, it should not have come as a surprise to her to see it was no different across the infinite universes, but somehow, it still did.

"I didn't actually build this school. I was raised here by St. Olga, the original founder. I destroyed that hideous robot the moment I could and left, but came back, realizing then that this school served a purpose. Princesses could be sent here instead so parents wouldn't take matters into their own hands. I never wanted to do the things I did, but it was the only way to save those girls. I knew how to wipe everything that made them who they were and mold them into perfect, mindless, obedient daughters their parents would be proud of. I could protect them. I had to protect them. I had to save them from suffering the same fate mother and I did. The same fate you did."

Star did not know what to say. Meteora sounded so upset and disgusted with the things she had done and the horrors she had forced the princesses through. Though she understood the woman's motivations for doing what she did, she could not say she agreed with her actions. There was no point in dwelling on it now as the school was closed, never to reopen.

Never in a million years would she have guessed Meteora, as Miss Heinous, had cared so deeply for her students or once had normal dreams and aspirations: That she had not been reveling in some kind of sick, twisted pleasure when she ordered a princess to the solitary conform-ment chamber or emotionally destroyed a new incoming class during orientation.

Making her way over to Meteora, Star wrapped her arms around the woman, trying her best to comfort her without openly condoning or dismissing her past actions.

"Don't be upset, it was a long time ago," Meteora returned the gesture, able to tell the story had left the younger girl feeling down. "Besides, you and Turdina made sure neither I nor anyone else would be able to reopen this school again."

"You're not...still mad about that, are you?" Star asked a little nervously, realizing that after all these years, she never knew if the woman still bore a grudge against her for destroying the school. She certainly seemed to still carry one against Marco.

Meteora was definitely still outraged and angry, but her feelings were not directed at the two princesses. At least, not anymore. "No, of course not! That was a long time ago. Besides, you and Turdina were onto something. Maybe instead of contributing to the system, I should have fought against it. I'm glad you were able to get this place shut down. Besides, if you hadn't forced me out of here, I would have never reunited with Toffee or mother. Or had the chance to help raise you."

Taking advantage of the fact Meteora was kneeling at the desk, close to her own height, Star leaned over and gave the woman a peck on the cheek.

"Ready to go?" Meteora asked with a chuckle.

"Actually...there's something I've always wanted to do here."

* * *

"No."

"Come on, it'll be fine."

"Absolutely not. You're injured, and even if you weren't, I would never let you pull off some crazy stunt like this!"

"Please?"

Meteora drew her dimensional scissors, shaking her head in disbelief. Where on Mewni Star got these crazy ideas from she did not know, but trying to swing from a chandelier was a new one, even for her. She slashed the scissors through the air, cutting open a portal back to Earth.

Taking advantage of the fact the older woman had turned her back to her momentarily, Star quickly leapt into action. She dashed the few feet to the second-story railing and jumped off, reaching for the chandelier. Grasping her hands around one of its many intricate arms, she suddenly felt the wind leave her as a sharp pain struck her chest. In her excitement, she had failed to account for the fact hanging from her arms would put a lot of stress on her chest and skin. Before she could even swing or react, she found herself engulfed in a green magical glow. She was pulled out of the air and back towards the railing.

"Star! Have you lost your mind?!" Meteora hollered, setting the girl down gently at her feet.

"I thought it would be fun," she gasped, hoping the pain would subside soon. For once in her life, why could she not just listen when someone told her not to do something?

"Remind me to never bring you here again," Meteora jokingly chided as she helped the girl to her feet.

* * *

Stepping into the apartment, Star smiled as the scent of something delicious wafted through the air. From her spot in the living room, she could see both Tom and Marco working in the kitchen.

"Just in time for dinner, Star. Come on, we're having fajitas," Marco called her over, fetching a clean plate from one of the kitchen cupboards.

Star rushed into the kitchen excitedly with Meteora close behind, a grimace plastered on the older woman's face as she watched Marco stir the pot of chicken and vegetables.

Setting a tortilla on the plate, Marco loaded it with chicken, guacamole, and cheese, just the way he recalled Star liking it. Just before he could hand it to her, the plate was suddenly pulled from his hands.

"You don't have to eat this, Star," Meteora insisted as she made her way to the garbage can. "I'll make you something else."

Marco could only roll his eyes in response. With the way Meteora was looking at his food, one would almost think he had served her a pile of actual garbage. It was beginning to grate on his nerves a bit how the woman always assumed he and Tom were incompetent. He had always been quite a capable cook, even as a teenager. Why did she automatically assume Star would not like his cooking?

"No, I want to eat it!" Star protested, grabbing hold of her adoptive sister's dress to stop her from tossing the food out.

"Are you sure? You don't have to eat it just to be polite; you can tell Turdina you don't want it."

"Meteora, I do want it!" Star quickly snatched the plate away while she had the older woman's attention. "You should try some. It's really good!"

"No, thank you," Meteora replied in utter disgust. Though displeased with the food, she still joined the trio at the table, taking a seat by the younger girl. She could not leave yet as the girl would need her bandages changed once more before the night.

"Marco, Marco, look what I found!" Star set the Princess Turdina doll down in the middle of the kitchen table for the two men to see.

"Vintage. Nice." Tom picked the doll up, turning it over in his hands. "I think this is a first model."

"They made more?!" Star asked ecstatically.

"Hey, I don't think she ever saw your movie," Tom remarked as he nudged Marco.

"I totally forgot about your movie!" the girl squealed. "Do you have a copy? Can we watch it?!"

"No, it was awful," Marco moaned. "I like to pretend it doesn't exist."

"Don't be like that. I thought it was great." Tom turned his attention to Star. "He totally has a copy. How about we all watch it tonight?"

"What do you say, Marco? Come on," Star encouraged, eager to see the film.

"You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?"

* * *

Marco stirred in his sleep as he was woken by the sound of clanging from the kitchen. Getting up to make sure everything was okay, he was surprised to find Meteora in there. It was incredibly late, why was she still here? She had still been helping Star get ready for bed when he had called it a night. It surely did not take this long to get the girl settled in. "What are you doing?"

"I made a little something for Star to eat for breakfast," Meteora explained as she opened the fridge and put a pot of something away. "Just put it on the stove to reheat."

Marco held his tongue as he resisted the urge to go off on the woman. He knew the older Butterfly was not trying to insult him by doing this, for once, but he just really wished she would realize he could take care of the girl just fine. He watched in silence as she walked over to the living room and pulled the blankets Star had kicked off herself back onto the sleeping girl. She then gathered the scattered dolls, now numbering at three thanks to the addition of the Turdina doll, and placed them next to the girl.

Marco sighed, finding it difficult to stay angry. "You and Toffee...you guys really care for her, don't you?"

"Of course we do. We're not as heartless as you'd like to believe." Meteora tucked a loose strand of Star's hair behind her ear before drawing her dimensional scissors. "I'll be taking my leave now."

"Wait, before you go. Listen, I'm sorry for...destroying your school...and all that other stuff." Though he sounded genuine, there were no truths in Marco's words. He was not sorry about anything he had done and, given the chance, he would do it all again. He had no idea how everyone was willing to look past all the horrible things she had done as headmistress of St. Olga's. She had brainwashed young girls and made multiple attempts on his life and Star's for crying out loud! Who knew what other terrible things the woman had been up to these past years? He knew now that she had been hiding in the forest with Eclipsa and Toffee, helping raise the young girl, but none of that made up for what she had put him through as a teenager.

But still. Marco knew how much Star adored Meteora and how it tore her up to see the two of them constantly antagonizing one another. If it would make Star happy, he could be the bigger person and apologize to the woman in an effort to repair their relationship for Star's sake.

"No. You don't have anything to apologize for," Meteora replied much to Marco's surprise. "You did nothing wrong. It really shouldn't be criminal to be an individual. I'm sorry for trying to hurt and brainwash you, Princess Turdina."

Hurt was quite the understatement in Marco's opinion, considering she had demanded his parents give her his spine and even sent a bounty hunter after him, but he would accept her apology. She did sound somewhat sincere, and, even if she was not, he was still willing to meet her halfway. "You don't have to call me Turdina or Princess. You can just call me Marco."

"Well then, Marco. Please take good care of Star."

"We will. You don't have to worry about her. She's in good hands."

"Thank you."

* * *

 **It was my season 3A theory that Meteora continued running St. Olga's even after overthrowing Olga herself because she knew what would happen to the princesses if they could not be reformed. If the commission was willing to get rid of her, can't imagine there wouldn't be other royals from other dimensions willing to do the same.**

 **Review please!**


	13. Goodbye

**Welcome back!**

* * *

Sitting upright as she woke, Hekapoo blew a strand of long hair out of her face. Stretching her arms out, she suddenly stopped when she noticed she had an unexpected guest. "Glossaryck!"

"Long time no see, Hekapoo," the blue man greeted her nonchalantly.

"Where have you been?! You can't just disappear for fourteen years and then show up like this!" Hekapoo could feel her anger building, only fueled further by the ridiculous smile her creator wore on his face. "Things have totally fallen apart! Rhombulus and Omnitraxus are dead, we had to overthrow the Butterfly family because Moon wouldn't stop keeping secrets from us, and worst of all, Star's alive and using dark magic! Eclipsa spirited her away, trained her in her evil magic, and Moon was in on it the whole time!"

"I know."

"What do you mean 'you know?!'" Hekapoo demanded, fed up with Glossaryck's laid back responses.

"Well, like Lekmet, Rhombulus and Omnitraxus served their purposes. Now that the universe no longer has any need for them, it only made sense they would be destroyed."

"What?"

"I created Lekmet to teach Mewmans about the impermanence of existence. The only way he could have really accomplished that was by dying. With Lekmet gone, Rhombulus no longer had a purpose. Omnitraxus became too emotionally invested in Mewni and the Mewmans, going so far as to have a child with one and abusing his powers to keep her in this world long past her time. Since he would not act in accordance with his purpose, he too had to go. I love Skywynne to death, but I'm surprised he didn't learn a lesson about cavorting with mortals from you. Oh well, what can you do?"

Hekapoo silently threw the covers off herself and stormed away to get ready for the day. She kept quiet, trying to hide the fact Glossaryck had struck a nerve with her.

"I created you to give people the ability to traverse the different dimensions, but look what became of it." Glossaryck followed Hekapoo through her forge, paying no mind to the fact she clearly did not want to speak with him. "Where on Mewni you came up with the idea someone had to be 'worthy' to get scissors is beyond me, but it's become your undoing. You became stingy with your knowledge of travel, giving it mostly to Mewmans and few at that. Well, both Monsters and Mewmans adapted and learned. They forged their own means of interdimensional travel and some even developed the ability to do it on their own. Why, just look at Star. Life finds a way."

The red-haired woman emerged from behind the standing screen, fully dressed. The frown on her face deepened when she realized she was going to have to hear Glossaryck out before he would actually leave.

"I suppose I only have myself to blame for this though. I created the lot of you in the image of Monsters, Mewmans, and all other life in the universe. I thought it would serve you well if I instilled a sense of self-preservation and emotions in you, but I can see now that was a mistake. I'm sorry for that. Because of my mistake the universe is once again out of balance and unfortunately...this is what it's going to take to bring it back into balance."

"Why are you here?!" Hekapoo snapped at him, fed up with the cryptic lecture she was receiving.

"I came to say goodbye."

* * *

Fidgeting with the bedspread, Star watched on anxiously as Marco dressed in his battle outfit. "Where are you going?" she asked even though she knew the answer, hoping deep down there was some small possibility she could have been wrong.

"I have something I need to take care of," Marco responded vaguely, not wanting to worry the girl any further. It was a little difficult to do as he sheathed his sword into his belt; a clear sign he would be engaging in combat. Still, he gave her a soft smile when he turned to face her.

"Promise me you'll come back," Star asked with pleading eyes.

"I promise." Marco scooped the girl off the bed and spun her around, ruffling her hair as he tried to bring a smile to her face. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. You promise me you'll stay with Tom. I don't want you running off."

"I promise."

"Come on, Star, let's get going!" Tom called out as he walked into the room with two tennis rackets tucked under his arm. "Or are you afraid I'm going to kick your butt?"

"You wish, Lucitor!" Star hopped out of Marco's arms and chased after the demon, leaving her friend alone in his room.

Marco watched them disappear out the front door with a smile on his face. He knew Star would have a good time at Echo Creek Park with Tom, allowing her to focus on something other than him. Drawing his dimensional scissors from his pocket, he cut a portal to Hekapoo's dimension.

Stepping through, he found himself standing directly in front of the woman's workshop. Taking a breath, he walked up to the door and opened it.

Marco was surprised to find the place practically empty. All the furniture and equipment was gone and what little remained was covered underneath tarps and swaths of fabric.

"Oh...hey, Marco," Hekapoo greeted from her forge as sparks flew from her hands, shaping the metal she was working on into a pair of scissors.

"What's going on?" Marco asked, confused by both the emptiness of the place and Hekapoo's dejected tone. Had something happened?

"Just taking care of a few last minute things before I go."

"Where are you going?"

Hekapoo stopped working for a minute, stumped by the question. "You know, I don't really know. Wherever everyone else goes after they pass on, I guess."

Marco was caught off guard by her answer, unsure of how to respond.

Hekapoo could only smirk. "You look surprised. Isn't that why you're here?"

Panicking, realizing Hekapoo was on to him, Marco quickly reached for his sword.

"Relax!" The red haired woman could not help but laugh at the boy's reaction. "I'm not going to fight you."

Hekapoo's chuckles faded into a soft sigh. "Glossaryck is right. It's time for me to go."

Marco had no idea what the woman was talking about, but he released the handle of his blade, sensing she was genuine in her words and would not try and strike him when he lowered his guard. He watched silently as Hekapoo exited the workshop and climbed to the roof of her small hut, following close behind.

The two watched the sun set over the desolate dimension in silence, remaining in their spots long after the last rays of light faded from the sky.

"Glossaryck created us each to serve a specific purpose," Hekapoo finally spoke, breaking the long-standing silence, "and together we were to help keep the universe in balance. I guess we did a pretty terrible job."

"Why?" Marco asked; the one word summing up every question on his mind. Why did she think she did a bad job? Why was she chasing after Star? Why did she think Eclipsa was evil? Why did she stand by and allow Moon to be overthrown? Why was she not putting up a fight now? "How did this all happen?"

"I guess it started thousands of years ago, when the Mewmans first arrived. We watched from a distance as they settled the land and met with the Monsters. It wasn't too long before fighting broke out. And that's all they did for generations. Monsters and Mewmans, constantly at war with one another. The Monsters always had the upper hand in both numbers and shear strength. They were larger, stronger, and many had their own unique powers and abilities. The Mewmans had nothing, so we gave them magic to keep everything in balance with the understanding the two could never under any circumstances mix. The Monsters were angry, aggressive, and would wipe the Mewmans right off the map if they got hold of the magic."

Marco had heard this line of reasoning from Hekapoo and the other commission members many times before. Even Star had regurgitated it to him back in their early days of Monster fighting.

"The two groups kept fighting. Sometimes the Monsters would win and sometimes the Mewmans would. Everything was in balance, so we just left them to their own devices. That all changed when Omnitraxus fell in love with a Mewman and fathered the next Queen of Mewni. Next thing I know, we're royal advisors to her and every queen that followed. Skywynne saw what we were trying to achieve and kept the Monsters and Mewmans separate, but Eclipsa...she didn't really agree. She didn't see why Monsters and Mewmans could not live together peacefully. You should have seen the fit Omnitraxus threw when she brought Toffee home."

"Brought him home?"

"Yeah. She just found him out in the forest one day. A little abandoned Monster baby, all bundled up, but no caretakers in sight. When she couldn't find his parents she decided to keep him and raise him as her own. We tried to get her to give him up, but what could we do? She was stubborn, headstrong, and the Queen."

Toffee's deep understanding of the Butterfly family and the wand suddenly made sense to Marco. Toffee may have been adopted, but unlike Meteora, he was actually raised in Castle Butterfly and by Eclipsa.

"Omnitraxus had a real hard time with Eclipsa after her mother passed. She was nothing like Skywynne. As Queen, she wouldn't listen to any of our advice and kept trying to meet with the Monsters for peace talks. We could have tolerated that. We could have tolerated the Monster brat she brought in the castle. But then she fell in love. She went and got herself pregnant with a half-breed, ran off in the middle of the night, abandoned her kingdom, and took Festivia with her. That we couldn't tolerate."

"Did you really think that warranted locking her away forever?" Marco finally spoke. "Did you really think that made her evil?"

Hekapoo gave a defeated sigh. "I knew Eclipsa wasn't evil. I think on some level, the others knew as well. We knew that she hadn't done anything wrong, but we still couldn't just let her and her half-monster child be. We didn't know it at the time she was pregnant, but half-Mewman, half-Monster children are extremely powerful. We felt a great surge of magic the night Meteora was born. We knew she would throw off the delicate balance between Monsters and Mewmans we had been maintaining for thousands of years. Meteora was a Monster child with Mewman magic. We had to get rid of her. We knew Eclipsa would not just hand her baby over, so we had to take more...drastic measures."

An uneasy silence hung in the air as Marco processed this new bit of information. He was not exactly fond of Meteora himself, but even he could not fathom the idea of killing her in cold blood, especially not when she was still an innocent infant. He had always thought of Hekapoo as a force of good and it tore him apart to think she was just as bad, if not worse, than the horrible people she proclaimed Eclipsa and Star to be.

"Eclipsa didn't deserve to die, so...we froze her. She wouldn't feel anything in the crystal; it would be like a long sleep. We couldn't bring ourselves to destroy Meteora like we had originally planned, so we threw her into some finishing school where we knew her Monster side would be suppressed. We took Festivia back to Castle Butterfly and thought that was the end of it. And it was for three-hundred years, until Star came along. She saw right through us. We knew if Eclipsa was put on trial, it would blow the lid on everything we had done, so we had no choice but to get rid of her as well. We knew from Eclipsa that crystallization was not as foolproof an option as we had originally thought, so we would have to resort to more permanent measures. Eclipsa foiled our plans that night fourteen years ago and now here we are."

"Was it really the only way?" Marco asked.

"I thought it was, but I don't know anymore. Not that I ever really knew," Hekapoo admitted. Even with all her powers and immortality, she was no different than any Mewman or human, simply stumbling along in life, making one mistake after another.

"So what happens now?" With the commission gone, the most immediate threat to Star was gone as well, but Marco knew it was not as simple as that. Though they had abused both their powers and positions, he could not deny the fact the Magical High Commission had played a very important role in Mewni.

"I don't know. With all of us gone, maybe there will be a new universal balance. One that doesn't need people constantly watching over it. Or maybe the whole multiverse will just implode in on itself. Who knows? Whatever the future holds, I won't be a part of it."

Marco was not quite satisfied with that answer, but he knew he could not ask Hekapoo for a better one. He looked up to the sky, now completely dark, and watched the stars glimmer. "You're really just going to go like this...no fight at all?"

"Honestly, Marco...I'm tired. Of everything. Being immortal is not all that it's cracked up to be." The red-haired woman toyed with the hem of her dress as she was silent for a moment. "I've had people like you in my life before...good friends. Sometimes something more. Omnitraxus was not the only one who fell in love with a mortal. He was not even the first one of us to do so. I had a kid once myself, but...that was a long time ago. Long before Skywynne or any of this."

"What happened to them?" Marco had never heard Hekapoo make mention of a child before. Granted, she had been alive for thousands of years and had experienced countless things which she had not shared with him, but this seemed like something important.

"Nothing," Hekapoo answered much to Marco's surprise. "She had a boring life, just like everyone else. Grew old and died peacefully in her sleep. Nothing changes. Everyone around me grows old, but I stay the same, watching day by day as time's arrow continues marching forward. I don't want to keep going through that."

The thought had never really crossed Marco's mind before. He knew the woman was immortal, but he had never realized being so was taking such an emotional toll on her. He shivered, thinking that had things not gone the way they did, she would have been the one watching him fade away. Eventually, he would have been nothing more than a memory, forever lingering in the back of her mind.

"I think I'm ready to go now, but before I do, I have one last favor to ask of you." Hekapoo stood up, holding out the pair of scissors she had forged earlier. "Would you mind delivering these for me?"

Taking the dimensional scissors from her, Marco could see Eclipsa's name engraved neatly on the blades in crisp, formal letters.

"She was the only queen I never made a pair for. I'd make a pair for Star, but...she doesn't really need them."

Realizing he was nearing the end, Marco suddenly moved forward and embraced Hekapoo. Even though he had come here specifically to destroy her, he realized now that he was truly going to miss her. She may have done many terrible things over the years, but she was still his mentor and close friend.

"You were always a good kid, Marco," Hekapoo chuckled, wrapping the man in an embrace of her own. "I hope you have a good life."

Marco held the woman close, watching sadly as the flame above her head slowly faded.

* * *

"What is this place?" Star held onto the back of Toffee's jacket as they walked through the barren wasteland. All around her were bubbling pools of green goo, clouding the area with a grey fog as mist rose from their depths.

Toffee had shown up to the park unexpectedly, asking Tom if he could take her for a short time. Why or where they were going, she did not know.

"The Sacred Monster Springs. There's nothing to be afraid of," the lizard assured the younger girl, sensing her worries as they walked through the desolate area. He was not surprised she did not recognize the place. Being in Monster territory, Mewmans rarely, if ever, visited the Jaggy Mountains. As a matter of fact, no one visited the mountains. The soil was dead, the place was in a constant state of drought, and no natural resources existed that could have drawn anyone to the area.

"Why are we here?"

"We're just going to perform an ancient Monster ritual. It shouldn't take very long." Under normal circumstances, Toffee would have performed the ritual in the Monster Temple, but with the sacred grounds still occupied by the Pigeons, he had no choice but to come to the dreary mountains.

Star suddenly perked up at the thought. She knew nothing of Monster culture or spiritual practices. She eagerly followed behind Toffee as he led her to a rather large pool of bubbling green goop.

"Come here." Toffee knelt to the ground at the edge of the pool, motioning for the girl to join him.

Star took a seat beside Toffee, surprised when she saw him reach over and remove her boots. "Wait, no!" she yelped when she found him guiding her feet towards the goop. It was boiling and steaming, what was he thinking?!

"There's no need to worry, it's perfectly safe." Rolling his sleeves up, Toffee sunk his hand into the green liquid, showing the girl it was harmless.

Intrigued, Star followed suit. The viscous liquid was surprisingly cool to the touch, not at all what she had been expecting. Convinced she would be fine, she rolled her tights up and dipped her feet into the pool. She wiggled her toes and splashed around for a bit, stopping when she heard some strange chanting coming from Toffee. "What are you doing?" she asked, interrupting him.

"Casting an ancient protective Monster spell." Toffee closed his eyes, holding his hands together as he returned to his chanting.

Star watched curiously as the green spring began glowing, but she was really more fixated on Toffee. He seemed to have a dull expression on his face and his spell-casting seemed somewhat...lackluster, like he was simply going through the motions. "You don't really sound like you're into it."

Toffee could not help but chuckle. "Can't say I believe in any of this stuff. It's more spiritual than physical magic, if you can even call it that. It doesn't do anything, it's all just an ancient show passed on by Monsters through the generations. I've never been a fan of tradition or customs myself, but Mother asked me to perform the ritual." He knew that Eclipsa was aware this would have no effect. She knew the springs reacted to the slightest disturbance by fluorescing and had no actual magical properties. He personally thought it was a waste of time, but if it helped comfort his mother in some small, miniscule way, then he would do it. Closing his eyes once more, he resumed his chanting.

Star found it endearing how Toffee, the great Monster general, the person whose very name struck fear in the hearts of generations of Mewman Queens, would never say no to his own mother. She watched as he moved his clasped hands so they were crossed and facing outwards, resembling the statues she had seen in the Monster Temple all those years ago. Now that she thought about it, Toffee must have had some kind of connection to the temple as well, considering it was Meteora's place of birth over three hundred years ago.

"Toffee, what was dad like?" Star asked, surprising the lizard.

Knowing how impatient the girl could be at times, he had been expecting a few more interruptions, but he had certainly not been expecting that. Could she not remember her father? Perhaps some of her memories were still faded. "I couldn't say. I only spoke with River once-"

"No, no, not River," Star cut him off. "I'm talking about my other dad. Monster dad."

Toffee was both surprised and amused. Star had never even met Globgor; she did not even know his name, but she still referred to him as her father. It probably made sense to her in her young, innocent mind, especially since she did consider Eclipsa her mother. "Father, Globgor, was a great and powerful Monster. Though he was huge and a frightening sight to behold, he was actually as gentle as a mouse. He was not one to be underestimated though: His unwillingness to fight was not a reflection of his ability to fight. After Mother fled the Butterfly Kingdom, he took me in and raised me as his own. He was a stern, but fair, King and all his subjects adored him."

Star smiled at hearing Toffee speak so fondly of his dad. It was clear he held a deep admiration for the late King. She wished she could have met the Monster who swept Eclipsa off her feet. "Did he teach you this?" She gestured around them, indicating she was asking about the ritual he was performing.

"Yes. He was a very spiritual Monster. He believed that everything happened for a reason; that we are all connected in the fabric of the universe or some silly thing like that. I never subscribed to the theory myself, but it seemed to bring him peace and it made him happy, so I would often join him in his meditations."

Though she was smiling, Star was a bit apprehensive. She knew Eclipsa's past was tainted with heartbreak and misery, but she had to know. "What happened to him?"

"The Magical High Commission got to him the night they came to reclaim Festivia. They spared mother and merely froze her, but...they did not extend the same mercy to him."

Toffee's tone and expression were the same cold and collected they always were, but Star could tell it hurt him to think back to that dark time. She wished she had had the chance to get to know Toffee before his family was taken away from him; before hundreds of years of injustices had left him with a hardened outer shell. "Do you miss him?"

"Every day." Toffee reached over and ruffled the blonde girl's hair.

Star's worries eased at the playful gesture, knowing it was her brother's silent way of telling her he was fine.

"Now, no more interrupting me. I have to start over every time you do." Toffee reached into the pool, scooping up some of the green goo and wiping it on the girl's forehead. "Close your eyes."

Star obliged, taking a deep breath as Toffee resumed his chanting once more. She felt herself starting to drift off as her brother's voice seemed to get farther and farther away.

"Toffee?!" she called out when the chanting was suddenly replaced by the horrid screeching noise that had become all too familiar to her.

Opening her eyes, Star found herself alone in an open field. The sky was pitch black, illuminated only by the light of the full moon.

Noticing several figures clad in ancient clothes and armor, she knew she had to have been dreaming again.

"How dare you?!" Andromeda roared at the gathering of knights before her. "I ordered you to leave the Monsters be and you try to raid their village behind my back?! I was lenient the first time around, but I can see now that was a mistake. You are all banished from the kingdom! I want all of you out of Butterfly Village before the day breaks."

Andromeda suddenly gasped as she felt all the wind being forced out of her. An excruciating pain ripped through her abdomen as a sword delved clean through her. "A..lder…" she managed to gasp out as the knight pulled the sword out from behind her, allowing her to collapse to the ground.

"With all due respect, _Queen_ Andromeda, we will no longer be taking orders from you," Alder sneered. "Now that the kingdom has a princess, your services are no longer needed. I will take it from here." Holding his bloodied sword in the air, he pointed it forwards. "Men, charge!"

Clutching her wand close to her as she watched the soldiers ride away, the injured woman began chanting. Her wand and cheeks began glowing as plants slowly sprung from the ground. Lifting her wand into the air, she slammed the hilt into the ground.

The magical glow left the head of the wand, traveling down the hilt and into the ground. Suddenly, the sprouting plants shot into the air, growing from saplings to towering trees in the blink of an eye. Vines began falling from the foliage as the sky disappeared, hidden away behind a canopy of leaves. Carnivorous plants and toxic flowers began sprouting from the ground as well, following along the path of the riding soldiers with their teeth bared and ready.

Star realized she was standing in what she now knew as the Forest of Certain Death. Turning to its creator, she found Andromeda looking her directly in the eyes as her own blood pooled around her.

"Help me."

* * *

"Where's Star?" Marco asked the moment he stepped foot into the apartment. Tom was sitting on the recliner in the living room watching TV, but the princess was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh, darn it! I knew I was forgetting something at the park!"

"Tom!" Marco gasped in horror.

Unable to maintain his demeanor, Tom burst out laughing. "Relax, I'm just messing with you. Toffee came and got her, said he'd have her back before dinner time."

A portal suddenly appeared behind Marco in the open doorway.

"Right on time," Tom said, pulling the recliner leg rest down so he could get up.

Marco watched as Toffee stepped out of the portal, carrying Star in his arms. The girl had some green substance smeared across her forehead and covering her feet.

"Marco!" Star greeted him, relieved and delighted to see him home safe. Everything must have gone well with Hekapoo. At least for him, it did. She held her arms out to him, indicating she wanted a hug.

"Hey, Star." Marco took her from Toffee's arms, allowing the girl to wrap herself around his neck in a tight embrace. "What's all this?" he asked, pointing to the goop on her feet.

"Her feet are not to touch the ground for the next twenty-four hours," Toffee answered on her behalf.

"Why?"

"Just part of the ritual," Star piped in this time. "Nothing to worry about."

Marco had no idea what either one of them were talking about, but let the matter slide when Tom rushed over to playfully steal the girl from his arms. He watched his two friends run off into the apartment laughing before turning his attention back to the Monster before him.

"Is it done?" Toffee asked.

"Yeah, but before Hekapoo...passed," Marco could feel the sting of her loss in his chest as he spoke, "she gave me these." He drew the dimensional scissors from his pocket and held them out to Toffee. "She asked me to give them to Eclipsa. Would you deliver them for me?"

"Certainly." Toffee accepted the scissors and tested them out, tearing a portal for himself back to the forest. Satisfied with their performance, he stepped through the portal and disappeared, leaving Marco alone in the hall.

* * *

 **Review please!**


	14. Start of War

**Welcome back!**

* * *

"Look out below!" Marco bellowed as he tackled Tom from behind, sending him flying into the chilly waters below the pier. Jumping off the pier, he tucked himself into a cannonball and landed beside the demon with a massive splash.

Star followed suit, diving into the water after her friends, laughing as her head broke the surface on her way up. She wasted no time kicking around, drenching the two men with water.

Watching the girl, Marco was elated to see her having such a good time. Star had spent the whole summer cooped up between his apartment and the dojo, no doubt desperate for some fresh air. Now that the Magical High Commission was gone, he felt it was time for a much needed trip to the beach. They had spent a majority of the day there, swimming in the ocean, walking along the boardwalk, and just enjoying the sunshine. The day was beginning to fade and he knew it would not be long before they had to head home. "Star, want to head back up to the pier and watch the sunset before we go?"

"Sure!" Star paddled to the shore, quickly running back up to the pier with her two friends close behind her.

The trio leaned against the railing, watching as the last bit of light faded from the skyline.

Seeing a pigeon land beside him, Marco was broken out of his trance. Looking around, he suddenly noticed hundreds of pigeons surrounding them. They were everywhere: on the railings, benches, cables, streetlamps, and even the walkway. Normally, such a sight would have meant nothing. Pigeons were a common sight on Earth and it was not unusual for them to gather at the pier where they would be fed by locals and tourists. But this was different. Every pigeon was silent and unmoving, staring him down with cold eyes. Trying to contain his internal panic, he reached over and gently nudged Tom, motioning to all the birds around them.

Tom's eyes widened at the sight, silently motioning back to Marco that they should leave immediately.

"Ready to go, Star?" Marco asked the girl, perfectly concealing his nervousness as he spoke.

Star nodded her head, following the two men as they led her away. It was not until she felt each of them lay a protective hand on her shoulder that she realized something was wrong.

"Pigeons! Grab her!"

Star suddenly found herself crushed against Marco's chest as the man tucked her underneath himself, ducking to avoid an awesome blast of demonic fire from Tom.

The pigeons all leapt into action, circling the trio as they dove into them, left and right, trying to separate the three of them.

Marco quickly drew his scissors only to have them knocked out of his hand by a barrage of attacking pigeons. He held one arm to his face, using it to shield himself from the onslaught of birds while still holding Star to his chest.

"Marco!" Star cried, grasping onto him for dear life as she felt several talons sink into the back of her bathing suit, all trying to wrench her away. She tried to reach for her wand, but between Marco's grip and the blinding flutter of wings and feathers, she found herself unable to.

Feeling the princess being pulled from his grasp, Marco tried his best to swat the birds away. He felt several talons sink into his shirt, trying to pry him away from the girl.

Though Tom tried his best to hold the pigeons off, he was forced to stop attacking as he lost sight of Marco and Star amongst the flurry of feathers. He could have easily wiped all the birds out with his demonic flames, but with no visibility, he risked accidentally striking his friends.

"Star!" Marco cried out when the girl was pulled from his arms. Before he could even react, she was gone, having been dragged through a portal opened by the Pigeons.

In an instant, all the Pigeons were gone, leaving the two men alone on the pier.

* * *

"Boys, what's going on?" Eclipsa asked, dread filling her as Marco and Tom burst out of a portal that had suddenly appeared in her living room. There would only be one reason why they would be here so abruptly in such a disheveled and beaten-up state.

"They took Star," Marco answered, a grim look on his face. "The Pigeons! They came to Earth and took her from us!"

Eclipsa dropped the book she had been reading, drawing her own dimensional scissors from her dress pocket. She swiftly cut herself a portal and disappeared through it without a word to the two men.

"Richard!" she cried out at the top of her lungs the moment she stepped out of the portal and into the Monster Temple.

The few remaining Pigeons in the grand hall all fluttered about and cooed loudly, startled by her sudden appearance and shouting.

"Ah, Eclipsa, what a pleasant surprise," Rich Pigeon greeted her smoothly, flying down from the top of a nearby statue and settling himself down on a perch just in front of the woman. "No need to fret. As promised, we are vacating the premises and are on our way out now-"

"You know exactly what I'm here for!" Eclipsa interrupted, not in the mood for the bird's sweet talking. "Where is she?!"

"Rest assured, Star is safe," the King answered with a smirk on his face.

"Return her to me at once, Richard! Star is not a part of your war!"

"Agreed, but I still have other plans for her. Sorry, Eclipsa, but I need her. The Monsters all need her. With your refusal to join our cause, I was left with no choice but to take her. She will fill the role you refused. There is no need to worry though; no harm will come to the girl so long as she is in my care. I will personally see to it that she is well taken care of. She will succeed where you failed."

The former Queen knew there was no point in arguing any further. Rich Pigeon was not going to turn Star over and she did not have the ability to fight him and the forces that remained behind in the Temple alone. If she was going to save her daughter, she was going to have to join Moon in her battle.

With no other choice, she cut another portal back to the forest.

* * *

"Hey, let me out!" Locked in her old bedroom, Star banged against the door. She had been in there for several hours now, long enough to get herself cleaned up and changed into one of her old dresses. A meal had been brought to her room, but it sat by the door, cold and untouched.

She was terrified. Nothing seemed to work. Not her wand, not her butterfly form, and not even the physical force of throwing herself against the door.

Being in her old room brought back so many emotions. The place was spotless and exactly as she had left it fourteen years ago. Everything was there: her canopy bed, her posters, her clothes, the various pictures she had taped to her vanity mirror. There was, however, one item out of place.

Resting atop a pillow on her vanity was her mother's crown.

Giving up on trying to break the door down, Star made her way over to the vanity and took a seat. She picked up her mother's crown and turned it in her hands, examining the fine details and intricate carvings. She had done this countless of times before as a young child, sitting in her mother's lap while demanding she be allowed to wear the heirloom upon her head.

Setting the crown back down on the pillow, she moved to her bed, stopping at the foot where her trunk sat. Opening the trunk, she found all her old possessions in there, though not in the mess she had last left them in. The contents were neatly organized with her old childhood toys and keepsakes on the right and her other miscellaneous knick-knacks on the left.

This had to have been the work of her mom. How often had she come in here to reminisce? How many tears did her mother shed as she held onto her old stuffed rabbit or her old baby blanket? How long did she hold on to some hope that she would someday return to the castle? It broke Star's heart to think her mother would have to pass by her room every day, knowing she was not in it.

Hearing the door unlock, Star closed the trunk and stood up. She remained silent, clutching her non-functioning wand tightly as she watched Rich Pigeon enter the room.

"Hello, Star." The bird stopped a few feet away from the girl as not to scare her. "I apologize for the rough handling. I'm afraid we were running out of time and I was left with no choice but to act quickly. There's no need to be afraid though. I merely brought you here for safety reasons."

Star had no idea what Rich Pigeon was talking about nor was she interested in finding out. She just wanted to portal her way to Earth and get back to Tom and Marco. "I can't use my magic. Why aren't my powers working?"

"Yes, it's nothing to fret over. Just some anti-magic security measures we borrowed from Meteora's old school. They are only temporary measures, you will have you magic back soon enough," he reassured her. He hated to hold the girl captive like this, but with the battle approaching, it was a necessary evil to ensure her safety and to keep the two former Queens out. There was no doubt in his mind that Eclipsa would be joining Moon's army now that he had taken the girl.

Star felt fear rising in her. Ponyhead had attacked her because of Rich Pigeon and now she was before him without her magic. Whatever reason he had for bringing her here, it could not have been good. "What are you doing? Why did you overthrow my mom? Why are you trying to take over Mewni?"

"I am merely taking back what is rightfully ours. Mewmans have degraded us Monsters for far too long. We lost our corn, our homes, our families, and our cultural ways to the Mewman expansion. We have suffered at the hands of Mewmans and their bloodthirsty ways long enough. I can no longer stand by and remain silent. I demand justice. My armies will move forward and take back the land of our ancestors from the other kingdoms. I will unite the Monsters and Mewmans once and for all."

"But...Mom said you overthrew her because she was trying to help the Monsters and you didn't like that."

"Isn't that all politics is really? Telling people what they want to hear while doing whatever you want? I told the kingdoms what they needed to hear to ally with me, ensuring they would not rush to your mother's defense when I took the Mewman throne, and forcibly seized power from the others who would not. When all this is over, I will use my power as King of Mewni to forcibly integrate the Monsters into the other kingdoms. With all power centralized in my hands, the other kingdoms will have no choice but to comply with my demands or face an invasion by my forces."

Star could appreciate Rich's desire to try and improve Monster-Mewman relations, but she could not stand by his plan. Not when it would only lead to more bloodshed; the very thing he was upset about. "You can't! I know what happened to the Monsters wasn't fair, but we can't fix it like this! We have to do this peacefully. Please, we don't have to fight. My mom-"

"Moon is the reason we are fighting in the first place!" Richard interrupted, flapping his wings about in anger. "I overthrew her because of her sheer incompetence as Queen! My people, Monsters, would only continue to suffer as long as she held the throne! Your mother had the opportunity to end this war when she was your age, but she chose not to! She refused to sign the peace treaty, chose to fight Toffee instead, deposed the Monster King, and eliminated all hope of a peaceful resolution! She scattered the Monsters, left them without leadership, and led raids against their villages for the decades to come!"

Star tried to speak once more, but could not get a word in as the bird continued his tirade.

"Or when you say 'mom,' are you perhaps referring to Eclipsa? Eclipsa, who championed your cause and tried for a peaceful resolution only to be crystallized for three hundred years. Who came back and simply chose to hide away in the forest, refusing to help her former subjects. Who was content to watch our suffering continue at the hands of the other royal kingdoms of Mewni. Or what about her son, general of the Monster army, protector of the weak and defenseless, who set down his blade at her return and chose to allow this horrid treatment of his subjects continue? Or what of-"

"I can't tell you about Eclipsa, or Toffee, or Meteora," Star interjected, "but Moon: she is trying to fix it! I know...I know what she did was horrible. I know she wasn't really open to helping out Monsters in the past, but let her come back. Give her a chance. She's been trying to fix what she did! Give her the throne back and she will work towards a more peaceful answer. It'll take time, but her and I, we can do it together. You can help too. No Monsters or Mewmans will have to die, please," she begged, desperate to try and talk him out of the war he insisted on fighting.

Richard chuckled, touched by how desperately the girl wanted to end the conflict peacefully. He too shared in that dream, but knew it was just that: a dream. Thinking she could end this centuries long conflict diplomatically was merely her naivety speaking. "You were the only one who insisted on treating us as equals. I've always admired your willingness to stand up for what's right, even when your kingdom and mother said otherwise. You were my inspiration. From the days of the Mewman settlers, Pigeons have always been thought to be small mindless animals. We had no choice but to be. Any creature that spoke against or posed a threat to the Mewman arrivals was deemed a Monster, cast away by their society, demewmanized as fiendish creatures worthy of only the scraps life had to offer. We held our tongues and watched."

Star remained silent, realizing she knew nothing of the Pigeons.

"Though we Pigeons were 'Monsters' by every arbitrary measure of the word, by remaining silent we could go as we pleased. We spent thousands of years in hiding, acting as nothing more than scenery. But I grew tired of this act. My parents overthrew the previous tenants of our kingdom and we were suddenly 'Mewmans' for no other reason than our newly acquired wealth. My parents were satisfied, but I was not. I knew if I was going to move my people forward, I would have to stand up and speak out. I would have to integrate our kingdom and society with that of the Mewmans. But even that was not enough for me. How could I call myself a fair and noble ruler when I was willingly turning a blind-eye to all the injustices committed against my fellow Monsters? I hoped you and I would have been able to resolve this issue fourteen years ago, but the Magical High Commission had other plans."

"Please, no…" Star's voice was soft and pitiful. She knew it was hopeless, but it was all she could think to do.

"I'm sorry, Star, but I won't wait any longer. The death of a few for the future prosperity of all is a small sacrifice we Monsters are willing to make. Politics is not the answer. The last Queen who tried to help us met a terrible fate at the hands of the commission, and let's not forget what happened to you."

"The commission is gone! They can't stop us now! Please, I'm begging you, you don't have to fight! You don't have to start another war!" Tears began spilling from Star's eyes as she realized all the implications the upcoming battle would bring. Her mothers, Toffee, Meteora, Marco, and Tom: they would no doubt fight to get her back. She could not bear the thought of losing any of her friends or family to yet another pointless war between the Monsters and Mewmans.

"There, there, Star," Rich comforted her, patting her on the back with his wing. "There's no need to cry about it. I know this must be difficult for you, but it will all be for the best in the end. You will see."

Star's sorrow shifted to anger as she slapped the bird's wing away. "You knew I wouldn't be okay with this! Why did you bring me here?! I won't fight with you!"

"I did not bring you here to fight. I brought you here to help usher in the coming golden age." The bird motioned to Moon's crown sitting on the vanity. "When you come of age, you will take your rightful place beside me as Queen of Mewni. Together, we will free the Monsters and usher in a new era of Monster-Mewman relations."

* * *

Putting her armor on, Moon took a deep breath, doing her best to calm herself. She was heartbroken and enraged, having learned about Star's capture from Eclipsa, but she had no time to waste on tears. Her forces were ready and poised to march onto her kingdom at dawn, but with daybreak still hours away, she was hoping to still be able to convince a few more people to join her.

Slipping on her boots, she silently exited her room, not wanting to wake any of the teenage tadpoles in the house. Heading downstairs, she was surprised to find Buff Frog still awake and in the kitchen. He was standing over the stove, preparing a rather large meal. "Buff Frog? What are you doing?"

"Just making tomorrow's breakfast for babushkas." Buff Frog took the pan off the stove, dishing out the heaping pile of potatoes into twelve containers.

Moon was silent for a moment, watching as he worked. He did not need to tell her why, that she already knew: Because he would be fighting alongside her tomorrow morning. She knew how much the Monster father adored his children and how he would do anything for them. It must have been tearing him apart to know he would be leaving before they woke to fight and, as much as she dreaded the thought, possibly never return. "Yvgeny, about tomorrow...you don't have to join me. If you want to stay with your children, I will understand."

"Nonsense, Queen Moon. I do this for my children. It is time Monsters and Mewmans made peace. This will be last battle."

"But-"

"No more of this talk," Buff Frog cut her off. "Star is waiting for you. Go get your soldiers and do not worry about me. I will be fine. My babies will eat breakfast here in the morning, we win battle in day, and they go back to their beds in castle at night for sleep. This is plan."

Moon could not help but smile. "Thank you."

* * *

Arriving at the tattered home she had visited countless times in the past, Moon was relieved to find the lights on. Being so late in the night, she had been worried she would wake everyone up with her visit. She knocked on the door softly anyways, just in case someone had been asleep.

"Queen Moon!" Dennis greeted her happily the moment the door opened. "Welcome back. Please, come in, let me make you some tea."

"Thank you, Dennis, but I'm afraid I don't have much time. I need to speak with Ludo urgently. Is he here?"

"Sure, I'll go get him for you. But...he's probably not going to be happy to see you."

"I know. He never is." Moon watched Dennis disappear up the stairs. Moments later, she could hear Ludo's shrill voice screaming at her as he angrily stomped downstairs.

"Why won't you leave me alone, woman?!" Ludo shrieked. "Do you have any idea what time it is?! If I didn't want your help in the morning, what makes you think I want it this late at night?!"

Accustomed to this treatment by the small bird, Moon remained unphased. "I'm not here to offer help, Ludo. I am here to ask for it. My army will be attacking tomorrow and I would appreciate any forces you could spare. I want you to help me stop Rich Pigeon's rampage, get my kingdom back, and save Star."

"Save Star?" Dennis knew that could have only meant one thing.

"Yes," the silver-haired woman answered somberly. "Rich Pigeon took her."

"Well, I don't care!" Ludo snapped. "As a matter of fact, I'm glad she's gone! She was a royal pain in my behind and-" he was suddenly silenced when a hand clamped shut over his beak.

"Would you excuse us for a minute, Queen Moon?" Dennis asked as he dragged his older brother out of the doorway by his beak, releasing him only when they were out of the Queen's earshot.

"What are you doing?!" Ludo demanded the moment he was released.

"Listen, big brother." Dennis firmly grabbed Ludo's shoulders, forcing the older bird to look him the eyes. "I love you, but I'm not going to let you keep doing this! You are going to stop your whining and talk to Moon like the Queen she is! You are going to send some of our soldiers to help her get her kingdom back, start accepting her help, get our castle rebuilt, and step up as King of the Groundlands!"

Ludo was silent, in awe at Dennis. Though his younger brother towered over him, he had never outright stood his ground against him like this. Being the gentle and docile Monster he was, his younger brother would usually try and gently talk him out of any ideas or plans he disagreed with.

"We need her help! How are we supposed to help our subjects when we can't even help ourselves?!" Dennis gestured around the ransacked and dilapidated house. He was at his wits end with his older brother. He knew Ludo did not like Moon, but to taunt her over losing her daughter was a line too far crossed. Why could he not just put his ridiculous grudge aside and accept her help?

The Groundlands had fallen into a pitiful state under their parents rule and Ludo's ruling, or lack thereof, was certainly not helping. His brother seemed more interested in calling himself King than actually being one. While the fighting between the non-Monster kingdoms had not yet reached the Groundlands, Dennis knew it was only a matter of time before it would. Ludo needed to take proactive measures to prevent any fighting from ever reaching the forest or other Monster territories, but he would not, all because he could not get over his foolish pride. "This isn't about you, this is about _your subjects_! You are King now and you are going to start acting like it, even if I have to make you by force! Understand?!"

Ludo gulped, unsure if his younger brother would actually make do on his threat if he refused. "Yes."

"Good. Now go out there and be nice!" Dennis spun Ludo around and pushed him back out towards the entrance of the home where Moon stood, waiting patiently.

"Moon-"

"Eh-hem," Dennis huffed from behind his brother.

" _Queen_ Moon," Ludo begrudgingly corrected himself, "we will ready all available units."

"Thank you, King Ludo."

* * *

Unable to sleep, Eclipsa found herself pacing up and down the forest path. She knew she should at least try to get some rest considering she would need all her energy tomorrow, but she was too worried to actually do so. She could not stop thinking about Star.

Was the girl okay? Was she hurt? Was she hungry? Cold? Afraid? She had no idea what Richard wanted with her and the endless, horrifying possibilities were keeping her awake. She felt so helpless, desperately wishing she had the magic wand. At least that way she would have been able to cast the all-seeing eye spell.

She could not take it any longer. She drew her dimensional scissors from her dress pocket and sliced a portal through the air. Stepping through, Eclipsa wasted no time running through the Plains of Time. "Mother!" she called out, when she found Skywynne.

"Eclipsa," Skywynne greeted her, concerned with the tears running down her daughter's face. Having sight over all space-time, she already knew what was upsetting the woman and could not deny she felt the same. She held her arms out, allowing her daughter to collapse into them in a tear-filled hug.

Eclipsa could not stop the tears from falling as she asked her mother, "Please, I need to know: Where is Star?"

Releasing Eclipsa, Skywynne closed her eyes. Her cheeks began to glow as her hands lit up with magic. She clasped them together and waved them in a circle, filling the air with a wispy blue mist. From the mist, she called forth the exact moment in space-time she wanted to see.

Eclipsa felt relief wash over her as the image of a sleeping Star reflected in her mother's magic. The girl was in her old bedroom in the castle, unharmed. She seemed to be tossing and turning, as if having another night terror. The woman felt another pang in her heart when she realized Star would wake up with no one to comfort her. At least she could take comfort in the fact the girl was physically okay.

Skywynne released the mist, allowing it to fade away into the air as she took her daughter into her arms once more.

"Mother...will you fight with us?" Eclipsa futilely asked, already knowing what the answer would be.

"I...as much as I want to, I can't. My days as Queen are over. I can no longer intervene in the affairs of Mewni. I really should not even have shown you where Star was." As overseer of the multiverse, she had to remain impartial. She could not use her powers to intervene with the happenings of Mewni or any other dimension. No matter how much her heart bled for her daughter and granddaughter, she could not make the same mistake her father made.

"Will you be watching tomorrow?"

"No," Skywynne confessed. Though she was immortal, she too was only Mewman. If she watched, she would only be tempted to act. "But I will be waiting here for the good news. I know everything will be fine."

Eclipsa smiled, wiping her tears away. She knew that even with her powers, her mother could not see into the future and was merely comforting her. Still, she could not deny she felt better.

"Promise you'll bring Star to see me when this is all over? You've been keeping my grandchildren from me for far too long."

Eclipsa chuckled. "I promise."

"Now go. I think it's time for you to get ready."

* * *

 **Review Please!**


	15. The Battle

**Welcome back!**

* * *

Moon could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she led the march to the Butterfly Kingdom. She had not engaged in total warfare in almost thirty years and the stakes were never higher. Her throne, her daughter, peace between all the kingdoms, and peace between the Monsters and Mewmans were all on the line. Still, she had to put on a brave face for her soldiers. They were all looking to her for strength and leadership; she could not let them see the worry and fear that was consuming her.

Marching behind her were fighters from almost every kingdom of Mewni. She had the full support of the Johansen army, some military units from the Groundlands, most of her own knights, and freedom fighters from the kingdoms Rich Pigeon had captured.

Eclipsa, Toffee, and Meteora marched with her as well, all just as keen as she was to get Star back.

Much to her surprise, Tom and Marco had insisted on joining the fight as well. Marco she knew would not hesitate to fight, but she had not been expecting to find the Demon Prince waiting to march with her. Tom's parents had refused to join either side of the war, choosing to remain neutral. She could not blame them as it was a strategic maneuver for the King and Queen of the Underworld. Their kingdom was far below the grounds of Mewni and out of Rich Pigeon's reach; they had nothing to gain by getting involved. The boy was no doubt directly disobeying his parents' orders by being here, but she was not going to turn away any help she could get.

Keeping her head held high as she rode on her warnicorn, Moon tried unsuccessfully to push her worried thoughts to the side.

What if they failed? How many lives would this battle cost? What if she and Eclipsa did not survive? What would become of Star? Who would care for the girl? Where was the girl now? Was she still in the castle? Was she scared?

It broke her heart to think she was so far from her daughter and unable to help her in any way.

"Are you afraid?"

Moon was snapped out of her thoughts by Toffee, who was marching immediately to her right. He had donned his old battle armor and mantle as general once more, leading not only the Monsters to battle, but all the other soldiers as well.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't," she answered truthfully, but just loud enough for Toffee to hear.

"You are Moon the Undaunted. If you could face me alone at fourteen, you can face the Pigeons with my help now."

"I was terrified then too," Moon chuckled. In all honesty, she still found Toffee somewhat terrifying. She had never been able to best him in battle and was awed by his absolute strength. Not to mention the fact he could use magic, but actively made the choice not to. She was glad they were on the same side of the battlefield this time around.

She found it strange to hear him praising and encouraging her, but she chalked it up to him simply trying to raise morale; something he must have done often as general. She appreciated the gesture, but a few choice words were not going to relieve the turmoil she was going through. "I'm an old woman, I shouldn't be fighting a war. I should be in the castle. Star would be Queen and I would be playing with my grandchildren. She would be doing her thing, trying to help both Monsters and Mewmans." Moon gave a soft sigh. "But it seems the fates had other plans."

"They're not things you should be doing, but rather, will be. All in due time."

Moon smiled. At least someone was confident about today. She could not say the same about herself as they reached the edge of the Butterfly Kingdom, coming to a stop at the river that separated her land from the rest of Mewni. Rich Pigeon's army was in clear view on the other side with the King himself at the head. He was flanked by his own men in bodysuits and soldiers from the Cloud, Spider-bite, and Waterfolk Kingdoms. As much as it pained her to see it, he was also followed by some of her own knights; knights who had likely turned on her the moment he had invaded.

Looking to Toffee, she found him unphased by the sight; eyes forward as he sized the opposition. This was it. "Thank you for your help, Toffee. I know things have not always been that great between us, but I'm glad you're here."

"Your majesty," Toffee gave her a small bow as he held his hand out to her, offering to help her dismount. "Your people await you."

Moon took his hand in hers, knowing the lizard was putting on a show for the thousands of eyes watching them. She had to show everyone that her forces were a united front, not separated by any markers of kingdom or species.

Taking a deep breath, Moon called to the Pigeon, "Richard, this is your last chance. Surrender peacefully and return both Star and the Butterfly Kingdom to me."

"I'm afraid that will not be happening, Moon," Richard responded from the other side of the river.

"Then you leave us no choice." Moon used her magic to strike at the river, freezing it solid. She stepped back, allowing Toffee to move forward and take the lead.

Toffee held his sickle up in the air, calling with a mighty roar, "Charge!"

In that instant, the chaos began.

Both sides came charging at one another as attacks were sent flying from either side.

Moon continued to hang back, allowing Buff Frog, Marco, and Dennis to hurtle themselves directly into Richard's front lines, creating an opening for several soldiers to pass through.

With the help of several archers, Tom struck down the initial wave of Pigeon air support, sending wave after wave of demonic fire hurtling towards the sky. Beginning to chant, he turned his attention towards the land units, terraforming the ground underneath them in an attempt to separate the battalions, splitting them up into more manageable targets for the other soldiers to pick off.

Meteora followed closely behind Tom, taking advantage of the singled out soldiers. Her eyes glowed green as she began absorbing their life-forces, growing in size with each passing moment. It was not long before she was towering over the battlefield. With one fell swoop, she knocked an entire unit clear off their feet, sending them flying several feet away.

Still, as the fighting progressed, Moon held her position. Neither the opposing forces nor Richard himself were here targets.

She felt an arm link around hers as Eclipsa appeared by her side.

"Let's go."

Moon did not resist as Eclipsa led her towards the castle. They only had one goal: save Star.

But before they could do that, they had to make their way through the opposing forces.

Using her magic, she did her best to clear any soldiers or knights who stood in her way. It was easy enough for most of the soldiers, but Rich Pigeon's warriors were harder to combat with their large, powerful bodysuits. She grabbed Eclipsa and pulled her back, just as a sword came swinging down towards them. "Watch out!"

Her hands glowing with magic, Moon prepared to strike the armored bird, but stopped when it was suddenly tackled to the side and out of the way.

"Go!" Lady Whosits held down the metal body, well aware of where the two Butterflys were headed. "Go save Star!"

* * *

Star watched from the window of her room as the two armies stared one another down. She could not make out any individual people or details, but she knew this was it.

"Please, no. Please, no. Please, no," she begged to no one in particular, hoping in vain her words would have some effect. She could feel her heart pounding as nervous sweat poured down her brow.

"No!" the girl cried out when she saw her mother's army charge ahead. The fighting had officially begun.

She had to do something, anything, to stop the two sides before they completely destroyed each other. She had to find some way to stop the war.

Running to her closet, Star threw it open, quickly grabbed a hooded cloak, and wrapped it around her shoulders. She put her hair up into a bun and drew the hood over it, knowing it would be far too noticeable and distinct on the battlefield. While that problem was easily remedied, she had a greater one on hand: How was she supposed to get out?

The windows were sealed shut and with the anti-magic security measures in place, she could not portal or blast her way out of the room. Running to the doors, she pulled at the handles, hoping for some miracle to have unlocked them overnight. With no such luck, she frantically began searching around her room for another way out.

Catching sight of the sea captain's portrait, her eyes lit up.

She ran over to the painting, recalling what Eclipsa had shown her all those years ago. "Oh Captain, permission to come aboard?"

The portrait winked at her, swinging open to reveal the secret passage hidden behind the frame.

Star wasted no time climbing through and heading down the tunnel. Though she was relieved to finally be out, she had no idea where this tunnel led or where she was going. Regardless, she figured wandering around in search of an escape was a better option than simply staying put in her room.

* * *

Reaching the base of the castle, both Eclipsa and Moon entered their butterfly forms and took to the sky, flying towards the top of the North Tower where Star's room was located. Before they could even clear the first story of the tower, they were attacked by hundreds of pigeons.

Unable to bring bodysuits into the air, the Pigeons were forced to rely on their sheer numbers, flying circles around the women in an attempt to overwhelm them. They aimed for the women's' faces attempting to blind them with a few well-placed pecks.

Eclipsa felt herself growing frustrated and angry as she held her arms up protectively to her face, doing her best to bat away the unending barrage of birds. She was so close to Star, so close to saving her daughter, but these flying rats kept getting in her way! Trying to push her way through the swarm, she flapped her wings in an attempt to create a whirlwind, but was unable to as she felt several talons sink into them, pulling them back in an effort to stop her.

But the pigeons did not stop there. They continued pulling her away, further and further from both the tower and her daughter.

"No!" In that moment, Eclipsa's eyes began glowing a deep violet color. The dark markings on her hands began spreading further up her arms as she called upon every ounce of magic in her body.

Realizing Eclipsa was dipping down, Moon quickly dove out of the way of what was to come.

Eclipsa let out an angry screech as wave after wave of dark magic emanated from her body. All her anger, her sorrow, her rage, rolled off her as she sent yet another magical shockwave through the air.

Moon watched in equal parts terror and fascination as the Pigeons all fell from the sky, temporarily paralyzed, unable to move as they hit the ground. The energy radiating off Eclipsa was frighteningly powerful; raw and uncontrolled as it took down anyone who dared ventured within her vicinity. She knew Eclipsa had never been able to cast magic devicelessly, and like many princesses experiencing the raw energy for the first time, it was overwhelming and dangerous. "Eclipsa!"

Hearing Moon's voice, Eclipsa snapped out of her trance. Looking around herself, she saw the airway now clear as hundreds of pigeons lay on the ground, twitching as they tried to regain their movement. Under normal circumstances, she would have been horrified at such a sight, but not today. She simply did not have time.

Diving down to where Moon had sought safety, Eclipsa grabbed the silver-haired woman's arm and led her back up to the tower. It would not be much longer before reinforcements were called and they had to act quickly.

Bracing for impact as they flew forward, the two women broke through the tower window, coming to a crashing halt as they landed in the castle hallway. They found themselves unable to maintain their momentum as their butterfly forms began disappearing against their wills.

"What's going on?" Moon asked, trying her best to call forth her magic to no avail. "Why can't we use our magic?"

"I don't know, but let's keep moving!" Eclipsa bolted down the hallway to Star's room, forcefully kicking the door open. Her heart nearly stopped when she found the room empty. "She's not here! Moon, she's not here!"

* * *

Quietly pushing another painting ajar, Star peeked through the small opening, finding herself in the kitchen. She still had not managed to find her way out of the castle, nor had she regained the ability to use her magic. So far, every room she had found had been filled to the brim with Pigeon guards, forcing her to continue down the winding tunnels in search of another potential escape.

Thankfully, the kitchen appeared to be empty, but she knew she had to move quickly.

Climbing out of the wall and onto the counter, she made a mad dash for the back door leading to the rose garden. Ducking behind some bushes and sneaking her way through the shrubs, she finally made it to the castle wall. Holding her wand between her teeth, she began scaling the cobblestones, jumping off to the other side once she reached the top.

Grasping her wand in her hands, her face lit up when she saw the device come to life, glowing with its usual pink color. She had her magic once more.

The girl's celebration was short-lived as the horrid ear-splitting screech that had been haunting her for months returned. She dropped to the ground, grabbing at hear ears as the wailing continued, louder and more painful than she had ever experienced it before.

"What do you want?!" she cried in frustration, feeling as if her head would split open at any moment. "Not now, please, just not now!"

Her eyes began watering from the pain as her pleas went unanswered. She was useless like this. How could she put an end to the fighting when she was struggling to stand on her own two feet? She had to take care of these visions once and for all.

She heard footsteps approaching from around the corner, no doubt guards drawn in by the sound of her voice. Gritting her teeth as she ignored the blistering headache she was feeling, she wrapped her cloak tightly around herself and took off through the town, trying her best to make her way to the outskirts of the kingdom where the fighting was happening.

Running through the kingdom, she found the place a ghost town. Shops and homes were boarded up and an eerie silence hung about the air.

Finally reaching the edge of the town, she stopped at the sight before her.

It was complete and utter chaos as Monsters and Mewmans fought both against one another and beside each other. She had no idea who was on whose side as soldiers from nearly every kingdom in the land fought on the field. She could hear the cries of pain and attack amongst the chaos, loud enough that it could still be heard over the deafening shrieking in her ears. Weapons and other attacks were flying all across the field and she could see quite a bit of blood had already been spilt, filling her with fear for who might have already fallen. Other than Meteora's massive, hulking form, she could not make out where any of her friends or family were on the field. Hopefully they were still okay.

"You there, who are you?"

Turning around, Star could see several Pigeon guards standing behind her, all with spears pointed in her direction. If they caught her, she would be dragged right back to the castle with no assurance she would be able to make another escape. Left with no other choice, she took off towards the battlefield, dodging and weaving her way through the fighting.

Thanks to her small size, she was able to slip through the fighting largely unnoticed, or at the very least not pose enough of a threat for anyone to take notice. A large blast of fire not too far ahead caught her by surprise, momentarily knocking her and several other soldiers to the ground as the whole field trembled. Looking to the source, she saw Tom hovering a few feet into the air just a short distance away from her. His eyes were overtaken by a red glow as he chanted in an ancient demon tongue, striking several warriors near him with bursts of magma from the ground.

A huge smile spread across her face, delighted in both knowing he was okay and that he would be able to help her. She ran to the prince and grabbed his hand, trying to get his attention. "Tom!"

Feeling something grab ahold of him, Tom whipped around, arm raised, ready to strike the fool who thought they could take him on. Before the flames could leave his hands, he suddenly caught himself, stopping just in time when he noticed who was before him.

"Star?" he asked in amazement, the red glow fading from his eyes as he gently descended back to the ground. "Oh my gosh, Star!" He picked the girl up and wrapped her in a crushing hug. "Are you okay? We were so worried about you! Where's your Mom? We've got to get you out of here."

"I'm fine, but I need your help." Star held onto him tightly. "I need you to send my spirit to the Realm of the Dead."

"Anything you want, Star, just as soon as this is all over." It was clear Tom was not really listening to her as he held her protectively, looking over the battlefield, trying to find a way to get her to safety.

"No, Tom, listen to me!" Star pulled at his sleeves, getting him to focus solely on her. "It has to happen now! I need to you to send me to the Realm of the Dead!"

Before Tom could even object, another explosion went off nearby, sending a shock-wave and chunks of dirt and debris flying through the air. Acting quickly, he tucked Star underneath himself as he turned his back to the blast, shielding her from the flying rubble. While he was able to keep the young princess from harm, in doing so he had accidentally pulled her hood from her head.

"They've got the princess!" A shrill cry came from a Pigeon above.

Suddenly, all of the Pigeon aerial support took to the sky, abandoning their current fights to focus their attention on Star.

Distracted by the skyward formation of the birds, neither Tom nor Star noticed several warriors charging straight for them.

"Tom!"

Said demon snapped out of his trance just in time to see Marco intercept an approaching knight, tackling him to the ground and knocking him out with a swift punch across the face. On his other side, Tom saw Toffee do the same, delivering a forceful blow with his sickle to a swordsman, sending him flying backwards into two other charging soldiers.

"Don't just stand there!" Toffee barked at both Tom and Marco. "Get her out of here!"

Not needing to be told twice, Tom picked the girl up once more and took off with Marco close behind.

Unsure of where to go, the men ran for the only safe place they could think of: The Forest of Certain Death. Though possibly not the safest place on Mewni, the trees would at least provide some good cover from the Pigeons, giving them a better chance at getting away.

Looking behind them as they entered the forest, Marco could not help but notice the forest entrance close up behind them as branches, vines, and other fauna grew over the opening.

Finally confident they were safe, the two men stopped off the main path, hiding behind a curtain of vines.

"Star? Star, what's wrong?" Marco noticed the pained expression on the girl's face as she grabbed at her ears just like she had done on her first night with them. "Are you hearing the screaming again?"

Ignoring Marco's question, Star turned her focus back to Tom. "Tom, listen to me. I need to get to the Realm of the Dead right now!"

"I can't do that, Star! Your body will be laying here, vulnerable and unconscious, not to mention the fact the spirit world is a dangerous place!"

"I know, I know," Star looked to the demon with pleading eyes, "but I have to go. Someone...I think she wants me there. I think I can stop this, but I can't do it from here."

"Who is 'she?' What's there?" Tom was extremely hesitant to act. He could follow Star into the spirit realm, but he could not guarantee they would end up together in the same place, nor could he guarantee they would get out. Only a spirit could release them back to the realm of the living, and the realm was inhabited solely by vengeful souls who could not pass on to the next life; spirits who would no doubt grow jealous of the girl's life and attempt to take it. There were simply too many things that could go wrong.

"I don't...I don't really know," Star confessed, "but I know I have to go."

"Then let's do it," Marco answered to both Tom and Star's surprise. "If you think going there is the answer, then you should go."

"Marco," Tom began only to be cut off once more.

"You said she'll be unconscious, right? Then we'll stay here and guard her body." Though Marco's voice was firm and confident, he was just as nervous as the demon about allowing her to trek into the realm. Though he had never gone himself, he knew of the dangers and what could happen to Star while there. Still, it was clear the girl needed to go and, as a demon, Tom was the only one who could send her there.

"Alright," Tom finally relented. "But you be careful, okay?" Closing his eyes, he began another demon chant, surrounding the three of them in a red mist.

Star closed her eyes, feeling Tom touch her forehead.

When she opened her eyes again, she was alone in an unfamiliar wooded area. The trees and plants around her were all dead or rotting and the sky above dark and gloomy. There was no question about it: She was in the Realm of the Dead.

Silence overcame her as the screeching noise stopped. Looking around, she found a familiar brunette-haired woman seated on a dead stump only a few feet away from her. "Who are you?"

"I am Andromeda, the first Queen of Mewni."

* * *

 **Review Please!**


	16. The Spell of Life

**Welcome back!**

* * *

"Why have you been calling me?!" Star all but demanded of the woman, fed up with the torturous screaming and nightmares she had been enduring for months on end.

"I need your help," Andromeda responded calmly, motioning for Star to come join her on the dead stump.

"What for?" Star stood her ground, refusing to move.

"I want to put an end to the fighting between Monsters and Mewmans. Your mother and Richard may each seek to do good in their own way, but when this war reaches its climax, they will perish and both their kingdoms will fall."

Star shuddered at the image of her mother falling in the battlefield. "What do we do?"

"We?" Andromeda asked, bemused. "We are not doing anything. This is exactly what I had been hoping for. I called you here to keep you off the battlefield. When the dust settles, I will release your spirit back to your body and you will rebuild Mewni from the ashes, ruling over it as its new Queen."

"What?! No, I'm not going to stay here and do nothing! You have to send me back!" Star was astounded. Andromeda could not seriously think she was going to simply stand by and allow her friends and family to continue fighting a war that would only lead to their deaths.

"I'm sorry, dear, but I'm afraid I won't be doing that."

Star felt sick to her stomach, hearing the tone in Andromeda's voice. The woman sounded sincere, as if she were truly sorry for the fact she was simply going to allow thousands of people, including her own descendants, to die.

"I'm sorry for all the noise it took to get you here as well," Andromeda continued. "I know it must have been unpleasant, but when my plan to keep you in the Realm of Magic failed, I had to resort to other measures. It seemed a certain blue friend of ours had other plans for you."

"No! I'm not just going to sit here and let them wipe each other out! We can't let the kingdom fall like this! We have to help them! Send me back and let me fix this!"

"Why?!" Andromeda suddenly snapped harshly, causing Star to take a step back. "What have the Mewmans done to deserve our help? Have they made peace with the Monsters? Have they helped them in any way? Have they given back the land they stole from them? And what about their own subjects? Your poor live in filth and squalor right outside the castle gates. What have they done for one another? Tell me, Star, why do they deserve it?"

The girl remained silent for a moment, unable to answer any of the former Queen's questions. "...why do you want this?"

Andromeda sighed as she took a deep breath, calming herself. It was never her intention to frighten or scare the girl. "I don't want this. I never wanted any of this, but Richard is right. There is no other way. I've waited thousands of years for a change that I realize now will never come. I spent years hoping for a princess like you to follow in my footsteps and bring about the change I never could, but when you finally came...well, I think you know how the rest of the story goes."

"You don't have to worry about that." Star grew frustrated, feeling as if she were merely repeating yesterday's conversation with Rich Pigeon. "The Magical High Commission is gone. There's no one to stop me now!"

"Mewni's problems go far beyond the commission. Let's say I let you out and you somehow manage to stop the fighting. Do you think the other Mewmans will be as accepting of the Monsters as you? What about the other kingdoms? They've been quite displeased with your mother's efforts to diplomatically tie the Monster and Mewman communities together, so much so they were willing to go to war for it. As much as I hate to see this unfold, it's better in the long run."

"You say you want to stop the fighting! So how is this war going to accomplish that?!"

"Unfortunately some sacrifices are going to have to be made. If this one final battle will bring a permanent end to the fighting, then we shall have to allow it."

" _I_ won't allow it!" Star was at her wits end. She walked to Andromeda's side, sitting beside her and taking the woman's hands into her own in a desperate attempt to convince her otherwise. "Please stop! Please, let me help you! I can stop this fighting, I can stop this war! I can fix everything!"

Andromeda could only raise an eyebrow in response. "And how do you plan on doing that?"

"Well...I don't have a plan right now and I know I can't stop it all at once. It'll be hard, but I think we can do it. Everyone's ready for the war to stop, and while I won't change minds overnight, we can do it little by little. It will take some time, but I know it can be done. We can stop the war. We can stop the fighting. We can work towards peace. Isn't that what you wanted?"

Andromeda was silent for a moment, as if contemplating the princesses' words.

"How long have you been here?" Star tried asking her gently, hoping she was breaking through the woman's resolve. "Why haven't you passed on?"

"I can't...I can't move on." Andromeda dropped her hands into her lap defeatedly. "How can I find peace, knowing I left behind all this destruction and suffering? I had the chance to stop Alder and I didn't. It was my mercy, my moment of weakness, my _failure_ as Queen that caused this. I'm sorry to have to put you through this, but...I have to fix my mistake."

"Hey," Star took Andromeda's hands into her own once more. "You weren't weak. Showing mercy didn't make you weak. You did what you thought was best; that doesn't make you a bad Queen. You cared about your people and Mewni and I know you still do. The other kingdoms, even our own, I know they've done bag things, but we can't just let them all destroy each other. They're still our people."

"What do you know of running a kingdom?" Andromeda asked softly this time, as if weakly searching for a reason the girl could not be right. "You're still a child. You've spent the past fourteen years hidden away in my forest with no connection to Mewni or any of its kingdoms. You don't even have a plan."

"You're right, I don't. I don't know anything about politics or being queen, but...I won't be doing this alone. I have other Mewmans, even Monsters, who can help me. Heck, I've got my moms and Grandma Skywynne; that's three queens right there!"

Andromeda could not help but chuckle at the girl's statement.

"And besides, if you let this war happen, I won't rule as Queen! I'll go back to the forest and never return!" Star stamped her feet, well aware of how childish and ridiculous she sounded, but she was running out of options and willing to try anything to sway the woman. She could only hope she would not be called out on her bluff. "Listen, I know you want what's best for Mewni, but destroying it isn't it. Please, send me back and let me put a final end to the war. I'll bring peace to the land, just like you wanted. Please..."

Andromeda stared into Star's hopeful eyes. She could tell the girl truly believed in her own words and abilities, not that she could blame her. Even now, in the Realm of the Dead where the Princess could not cast any spells, she could sense a great magic coming from within her. If there was anyone who had the power to actually stop a field of warring soldiers, it would be her. And she was not wrong about not being alone. She had the help of both Monsters and Mewmans in her endeavor, including some powerful Butterfly Queens. Not to mention the help of Glossaryck, who had already intervened in her plans to keep the girl captive before.

Still, the former Queen was torn. She had watched generations of queens and princesses fan the flames of war, fall victim to inter-kingdom conflicts, and be pushed around by their own blood-thirsty people.

Then again, Star was different. She was stubborn, headstrong, and demanded answers for any meager explanations given to her. She would not simply bow to the will of tradition or the old ways. Star would fight for everything the two of them wanted.

"Do you truly believe you can put an end to this? Even if everyone were to turn against you?"

"I do."

"Perhaps years of watching nothing but fighting has left me embittered at the world. If you truly believe you can stop this, then I will help you."

Star's face lit up as an immense weight lifted off her chest. She would be able to save her mom. No one else would have to die.

"But first, I want to teach you a spell."

"A spell?"

"Yes. I was going to teach it to you so you could restore the fields after the battle, but I think you can still make use of it now." Andromeda leaned over to the girl, whispering into her ear.

Another smile graced Star's features as she recognized the spell.

"Got it?"

"Yup! So you'll send me back now, right?" Star asked eagerly, desperate to get back to the world of the living and reunite with her loved ones.

"Actually," Andromeda pointed to something behind the girl, "I think there's someone else here to help you with that."

Feeling the ground tremble underneath her, Star turned to see a hulking figure approaching through the dead trees. She nearly jumped out of her skin and quickly turned back to the former Queen only to find her gone.

Her fear shifted to outrage at the sight of the empty stump. Had Andromeda simply strung her along this whole time? Was she really leaving her trapped here?

The girl did not have much time to dwell on her anger. Spirits trapped in the realm could be quite vengeful and she was not going to hang around to see what this particular one had in mind.

Just as she was about to take off, Star stopped when she heard the creature call out to her.

"Star, wait! Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you."

The massive Monster stepped out from behind the trees and into the light, kneeling down so he did not appear as intimidating to the girl.

Her heart still pounding with fear and adrenaline, Star took a cautious step towards the massive spirit, instantly recognizing him. "...Dad?"

Globgor gave out a roaring laugh, delighted to hear the girl refer to him as so. "Come here, little one," he called to her, holding his hands out.

Star slowly made her way to Globgor, in awe of his great size. She allowed him to gently place his hands underneath her arms and lift her into the air as if she were a small child. It was somewhat nerve-wracking for the girl to be so close to such a powerful Monster. She had always imagined if she could meet Globgor she would be asking him so many questions and talk for hours on end, but now that she actually was before him, she found herself at a loss for words. "...hi."

She found herself suddenly moving forward as Globgor brought her to his chest, resting his hand on her back as he embraced her. Being only a fraction of his size, there was no way she could fully hug him back. Still, she laid her arms against him in an attempt to do so.

"What are you doing here?" she asked when he brought her back up so they were facing each other once more.

"I came to see you. I heard Andromeda calling you and I wanted to meet the girl who stole my family's heart."

Star could not help but giggle at his words.

"I've been watching you for some time now, ever since you first met Eclipsa in the rose garden all those years ago. Thank you for taking care of our family."

"They've been taking care of me!" Star cracked a smile as Globgor perched her on his forearm, continuing to hold her up so they were face to face. It took all her willpower to resist the urge to climb all over him.

"I wish I could have been a part of that," Globgor said wistfully. "You're quite the spirited child, aren't you? You remind me so much of Eclipsa in her younger days. I've seen all the things you've done, and I'm so proud of you."

Star leaned into the Monster's hand as he lovingly stroked her cheek. It was strange. She barely knew him, but she had never felt safer in his arms.

She gently reached and took hold of his hand with hers, moving it so it was directly in front of her. She then placed her hand directly in the center of his palm, wonderstruck once more by the massive size difference between them. Hearing him chuckle, she looked up to meet his gaze, returning the huge smile he was giving her with one of her own.

He seemed so happy and carefree, not at all like what she had been told lingering spirits tended to be. He did not seem to be carrying a grudge of any kind. So why had he not passed on? "Why are you still here?"

"When I married your mom, I promised her that not even death would keep us apart. I'm not going anywhere without her."

Star could have audibly awed at the romantic gesture had the implication of his words not struck her. "So you've just been waiting here? For hundreds of years?" The fact he remained even though Eclipsa had been frozen with the possibility of never be released was an amazing testament to his love. She was beginning to understand why he was able to sweep her adoptive mother off her feet.

"And I would wait a hundred more." Globgor pulled his hand away from Star's, holding it up into the air as it glowed a green color. His magic manifested into an image, reflecting the battle being waged back in the world of the living.

Star watched as the image shifted, showing her mothers running through the castle in search of her.

"Eclipsa loves you very much. I want her to enjoy her time with you and your siblings. I'm in no rush, I can wait for her. I have nowhere to be."

"I love her too." Star smiled, realizing just how much she missed the woman. Her peaceful gazing came to an abrupt end, surprising Globgor when she suddenly snapped up. "Wait, I can't stay here! I have to go! I have to save her!"

"I know," Globgor answered with a sad smile, wishing he could have spent more time with the girl. He pulled her into another hug, stroking her long hair. "You be careful, okay?"

"Okay," Star leaned her arms against him once more in an attempt to hug the Monster.

"And you be good. Take care of Toffee and Meteora for me."

"I will." Star felt tears welling in her eyes, realizing this was both the first and last time she would see Globgor as he pulled her away. She watched his hand reach for her, knowing he was going to send her back to the physical world. "Wait!" she motioned for him to bring her back up to his face.

Globgor chuckled when the girl leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He placed his finger on her forehead, his eyes glowing with green magic. "Goodbye, Star."

* * *

Watching the battle from the tree tops, Marco cradled Star close to his chest, growing uneasy with each passing minute. She had been gone for quite some time now, leaving both him and Tom in a near state of panic.

"Star?" he called to her softly, gently nudging her unconscious body in hope it would somehow bring her back. He could hear several Pigeon soldiers hacking their way through the forest with their swords in the distance, no doubt looking for the princess. He was beginning to regret not listening to Tom.

Star's eyes suddenly snapped open as a golden light bathed her entire body, blinding both Tom and Marco. Without a word, she morphed into her butterfly form and took off towards the battlefield.

"Star, wait!" Marco called after her, taking off in pursuit with Tom close behind.

* * *

"Eclipsa, look!" Moon pointed out the window to the column of golden light rising from the forest. She knew that brilliant light could have only come from one person.

"Come on!" Eclipsa threw open the window. Grabbing hold of the vines growing up the side of the castle, she quickly slid to the ground, taking off in the direction of the light.

* * *

"Star, come back!" Tom's shouting seemed to fall on deaf ears as Star continued flying towards the battlefield. Neither he nor Marco knew what she was doing, but they knew they had to stop her before she got injured. Or worse.

"Stop!" Star's voice boomed across the field as she came to a halt.

Her powerful voice and commanding presence did the trick, stopping all the fighting nearly instantly as she gently floated to the ground.

Lifting her wand above her head, she allowed her magic to simply flow through and around her, causing her already brilliant magical shimmer to grow brighter. Closing her eyes, she focused solely on the ground beneath her, feeling the pulsing beat of the plant life lying both atop and below the soil.

It was an exhilarating feeling as her sense of touch spread far beyond the confines of her body. She could feel _everything_ : The ground, the roots beneath it, and even the Monsters and Mewmans standing atop it. She could feel the Forest of Certain Death off in the distance and the winding path its trees created. She could feel even the smallest of ants as they slowly marched on. It was as if she had become one with the planet.

"From the skies, the land, and the depths of the sea, I call upon the powers of life." Star lifted her wand into the air, pointing it towards the ground. "Grow for me!" She dropped down swiftly, slamming the hilt into the ground and unleashing all her magic into the roots below.

Suddenly, vines began emerging from the soil at an alarming rate. Trees and other foliage sprang from the ground, towering towards the sky.

Star waved her arms, controlling the direction of the growth. She separated the two warring sides, pushing them apart from one another as trees sprung in their direction. She used her vines to take hold of the various weapons, forcefully pulling them from the hands of soldiers on each side and burying them deep beneath the surface. More vines sprang up behind her, gently catching the Pigeon ariel forces and firmly pulling them to the ground.

The battalions all remained grounded and unarmed, able to feel the raw magical power rolling off the girl as she did her work. There was no point in fighting back; none of them stood a chance.

Satisfied the fighting had stopped, Star scanned the battlefield, eyes landing on Rich Pigeon. She gently flapped her wings as she floated his way.

Rich Pigeon stood tall though unsure of what she would do.

Star's hands began glowing as her golden magic traveled up her arms. The violet markings on her arms, scars from her casting of the Darkest Spell, changed from their deep color, brightening into the same golden glow as her magic. The markings gradually moved down her arms, seeming to take on a physical form as their glow manifested into an orb which she held pointed to the bird.

Rich Pigeon braced for impact, certain Star was going to strike him.

The glow in Star's hands grew brighter as if it were reaching its crescendo with her approach. Stopping just before the Pigeon, the light in her hands faded, leaving behind a single piece of plant-life in her outstretched palm: An olive branch.

Rich Pigeon knew he was beat. He knew Star was offering him a chance at a peaceful surrender, an offering of forgiveness, with her olive branch and he would have been a damn fool not to take it.

Accepting the branch with an outstretched wing, he brought his body-suit into a kneel, bowing his head before her. "Lay your weapons down! The battle is over! We surrender."

A series of loud cheering erupted from Moon's forces as Star's butterfly form began disappearing. Before she could even touch the ground, she was lifted into the air once more as Marco and Tom finally caught up with her.

"You did it, Star!" Marco shouted joyously as he scooped the girl up and threw her into the air.

"Marco! Tom!" Star wrapped her arms around Marco, tears of joy and relief spilling down her face. She had done it. The spell had worked. She had put an end to the fighting. From her spot in Marco's arms, she could see both Eclipsa and Moon approaching from the sky, landing a few feet away from her as they released their own butterfly forms. "Mom!"

Star rushed into the two women's arms the moment she was set down, wrapping them into a group hug.

Moon and Eclipsa both showered her with kisses as tears of happiness ran down their faces.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Moon asked, stopping her barrage of affections to give the girl a quick look over, searching for any possible injuries.

"I'm okay, Mom. I'm fine," Star assured her.

"Good." Much to Star's surprise, Moon pushed the girl away from her and into Eclipsa's grasp. "Get her out of here." Though she was delighted to no end to be reunited with her daughter, her worries and fears were not yet put to rest. With so many enemy combatants around, there was still the possibility someone would make a last-ditch attempt to strike, especially now that Star had released her butterfly form.

Eclipsa nodded her head. "Star, dear, come here." She drew the girl close to her, cutting open a portal to the only place she could think of. She pushed her through, paying no mind to her daughter's repeated objections.

Though she tried to resist, Star suddenly found herself in the Realm of Time as she passed through the portal.

"Mother! Mother!" Eclipsa called to Skywynne, who had her back turned to them not too far away.

"Eclipsa! Star!" Skywynne greeted them happily as she scurried over. She was overjoyed to see the both of them okay, having spent the entire day worrying about the battle. She wasted no time taking both of them into a hug, feeling Eclipsa bury her face into her shoulder and sob.

"Mother, she's okay," Eclipsa pushed Star towards Skywynne, her voice cracking as her tears became audible sobs. Though she had Star in her arms, the fear of losing her had not left her yet. All her memories of losing Toffee, Festivia, and Meteora rushed back to her. She had no idea what she would have done had she lost Star as well. She knew these were worries she could now put behind her, that no one, not even her grandfather, could come and take everything away from her again, but still the tears continued to flow.

With her hand on Star's shoulder, Skywynne leaned forward and gave Eclipsa another embrace. "It's going to be okay."

* * *

Moon pushed open the door to the castle throne room, absolutely dead tired. Night had fallen long ago and the place was littered with sleeping soldiers. Her first show of goodwill as the once again Queen of Mewni was to open the castle doors and allow anyone, regardless of which side they fought on, to come in and receive both medical attention and a hot meal. She herself had to resist the urge to collapse on the floor and join them in their rest, having spent the past several hours assisting with the fallen and trying her best to clear up the battlefield. She had not quite managed to clear out all the plant life Star had brought forth, but that was an issue that could wait.

Scanning the throne room, she found Star nestled in a corner, asleep with her head resting on Toffee's lap as the lizard kept a watchful eye on her. It was no surprise she would be there. Being as stubborn and headstrong as she was, she had all but refused to stay put in the Realm of Time and simply portaled her way back to the castle on her own.

Approaching the two, Moon dropped herself unceremoniously on the ground beside them in a sitting position. Though she had never grown accustomed to seeing Star curling up with the Monster who had caused them so much pain years ago, she was still touched to see Toffee taking care of her so. Even after everything her family and she herself had put him through, he was still willing to look past all of it.

Leaning against the wall, she turned to Toffee. "Thank you for your help today. For everything, really. For taking care of Star when I couldn't. I know that my family and the Mewmans...that I've caused you a lot of pain over the years and even through all that you still helped me get my throne and kingdom back. You're a much stronger person than I could ever be. Thank you."

A silence hung in the air between the two as they each watched Star's chest rise and fall with each breath she took.

"I am sorry as well," Toffee spoke, breaking the silence. "For what I did to your mother and you all those years ago. You've done a lot for the Monsters these past years and for that I am grateful."

Moon could still recall the fury and sorrow she felt when she had learned of her mother's death at Toffee's hands. It was one of the most painful moments of her life, second only to the night fourteen years ago when she had almost lost Star.

She had been outraged and still resented him all these years later, even with the cordial facade she had put on with him for Star's sake, but she found herself unable to blame Toffee for what he had done. Picking up the pieces where Star had left off, the more Moon worked with and heard the Monsters out, the more she realized Toffee was only doing what he thought was best for the Monsters.

He had lost Eclipsa, the only mother he had ever known, and his entire family to the Mewmans in one night then proceeded to spend the next three hundred years fighting to stop them from expanding into his lands. When the chance at peace finally came in the form of her mother's proposed treaty, it was so abysmal and one-sided, it would have left the Monsters in complete ruin. Of course he could not simply stand by and allow the then King to sign the treaty. He was only trying to protect his people, much like she tried to protect her own as Queen.

Regardless, she would be lying if she said the loss of her mother still did not hurt her. She could understand why Toffee acted the way he did, but that did not change the fact he murdered Comet in cold blood and wantonly brought destruction to the kingdom of Mewni on several occasions. Though he was the source of one of her greatest pains, he was also the source of her greatest joy, her darling daughter laying just beside her. Thanks to him, the girl was alive. Thanks to his help, the commission was gone and would never be a threat to any of them ever again. Thanks to him, for the first time in fourteen years, she could now welcome her daughter home with open arms. "Give me your hand."

"What?"

"Give me your hand," Moon repeated, holding her own out to him.

Toffee had no idea what Moon had in mind, but he nonetheless complied, placing his hand within hers.

Moon took a deep breath, visualizing all her anger, all her rage and sorrow leaving her body. "Baloo-balee, baloo-balo. I let you go, I let you go."

Toffee remained silent, watching as the dark markings on Moon's arms began glowing a pale white color. Was she casting a spell?

Looking at her own arms, Moon watched her dark markings begin fading away, slowly making their way down to her wrists and blackened hands. The magical glow seemed to linger in her hands for a bit before disappearing, leaving behind pale skin she had not seen in years.

Toffee was caught off guard when Moon suddenly threw herself forwards, wrapping her arms around him.

Feeling tears spill down her cheeks, Moon said the one thing she never thought she would say to him in her life: "I forgive you."

* * *

Hearing the sound of pattering footsteps approaching, Moon cracked an eye open, watching as Star entered her room and silently closed the door behind her. With a yawn, she pushed the blankets off of herself, sitting up to face her daughter. "What's wrong, Star? Having trouble sleeping?"

"Yeah...can I stay with you tonight?"

"Of course, dear." Moon watched the girl scurry over to the other side of the bed with a soft smile. Waiting until her daughter was settled in, she grabbed the blankets and pulled them over the two of them.

With a smile, Star quickly scooted closer to her mother, wrapping her arms around the woman's waist as she lay beside her.

Moon returned the gesture, delighted to finally have her daughter back in the castle where she belonged. She could finally hold her, knowing the girl would be safe in the kingdom and in her arms. There was no one who would tear her daughter away, no one who would want to harm her, no one who would force them to be apart. "I'm so glad you're home," she murmured softly as she held her daughter. "I missed you so much."

"I'm really glad too," Star responded as she closed her eyes, ready to fall asleep once more. It was not that she was having trouble sleeping, but rather, that she was having trouble doing so alone. It was weird to be back in her old room. It seemed so large in comparison to her room in the cottage or at Marco and Tom's apartment. So...cold and empty. She was used to having someone always close by at night. She knew she would have to eventually get used to the idea of sleeping alone in her own room, but she did not see the harm in sharing for just one more night.

Though Moon was absolutely bursting with joy to have Star by her side once more, she could not deny the nagging voice in the back of her head. "Star…I know these past few months have been difficult for you, to put it lightly. I know life as princess can be difficult and that it wasn't always your cup of tea."

The Queen stopped, feeling as if she were merely rambling. "Star, what I'm trying to say is; if you want to go back to the forest with Eclipsa tomorrow, I will understand. I won't force you to stay here and become princess again and I don't want you to feel like you have to. I just want you to be happy. As long as you are happy, then I will be too."

Moon waited apprehensively in silence for her daughter's response. She could not blame the girl if she chose to return to the forest with Eclipsa. As much as it pained her to admit it, the former Queen's personality was much more compatible with that of her daughter's, not to mention the fact she had been the one to actually raise and care for Star the past fourteen years. Eclipsa understood Star more than she ever did. Eclipsa would be able to give the young girl her undivided attention, not swamped with the duties that came with being queen. Toffee and Meteora, whom she knew Star was deeply attached to, would also be there.

The kingdom would ultimately be fine without Star. The citizens and royal family had spent the past fourteen years under the impression the girl was dead. Without another child to fill the role as princess, Moon's eldest niece was given the title of Crown Princess and future Queen of Mewni. She had been training the girl in the operations of the kingdom and could continue to do so in Star's absence.

It broke her heart to think she would be living away from her daughter once more, but she knew it would not be that bad. Star was now free to come and go as she pleased through the land of Mewni. With her ability to create portals at wills, she could come visit as often as she liked. With the commission gone, Moon herself was also free to travel and visit the girl as often as she liked without fear of repercussion. She could still be a mother to the girl, even if they were not always together.

Concerned by her daughter's extended silence and worried her words may have upset her, Moon pulled away from the girl only to find her fast asleep.

Chuckling softly, she placed a small kiss on the top of the girl's head, drawing her close once more. "Goodnight, Star. I love you."

* * *

 **Aaron Hammersley, a writer/storyboard artist for Star vs the Forces of Evil, wrote on his tumblr that in the episode "Toffee," he "add[ed] the scars on moon's arms just as she attacked toffee to amplify the depths of moons despair as well as her growing rage."**

 **I got the idea for having them disappear when she forgave him based on that, just put in reverse.**

 **Review please!**


	17. The Party

**Last chapter; here we go!**

* * *

Star groaned as the sunlight filtered through the slightly open curtains, shining directly onto her face. The bed was too comfortable to get out of, but she was not going to be able to fall back asleep with the light coming through. The problem could easily be remedied if she got up and closed the curtain, but if she did that, she would fully wake up and not be able to go back to sleep. Whatever choice she made, it was lose-lose.

Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes, looking around the room. The bed beside her was empty; a strange sight considering she usually woke up before Eclipsa. What time was it?

Looking at the clock on the stand between the two beds, Star's heart nearly leapt out of her chest when she saw what time it was. She was going to be late!

Throwing the blankets and sheets to the floor, she quickly kicked off her pajamas while simultaneously pulling a dress over her head. Paying no mind to her messy hair or the disheveled state of her dress, she bounded down the stairs to the kitchen. "Mom, you were supposed to wake me up at eight!"

"Oh, you looked so peaceful. I just couldn't do it, dear," Eclipsa apologized from her spot at the kitchen table.

"But, Mom! I'm going to be behind schedule all day now!" Star lamented. Though she was not usually one to stick to routines and itineraries, today was too big a day for anything to go wrong.

"It's nothing to worry about," Eclipsa assured her as she spooned yet another scoop of sugar into her morning tea. "I never showed up to anything on time when I was Queen. I mean, really, what are they going to do? Throw you out of your own party? Now, come. Eat something before you go."

"There's no time, I'll eat when I get there." Star ran in a quick circle around the table, giving everyone a hug before taking off through the front door.

"Good luck, dear! We'll see you tonight!" Eclipsa called after her.

Star took off running down the main path, dodging and weaving her way through the thick foliage until she cleared the forest. The moment she could see the sky above, she morphed into her butterfly form and flew through the air.

It was not long before she made it to the castle, where she landed on the balcony of her mother's room. She knocked on the glass doors, startling Moon who had been putting her hair up inside.

Making her way to the doors, Moon greeted her daughter with a quizzical look. "Dear, are you wearing that to the ceremony?"

Looking down, it was only then Star noticed the disarrayed state of her clothing. Her dress was completely wrinkled and her tights did not match, not to mention the fact the flight over had tousled her hair even further, leaving it looking worse than it did when she first woke up. All she could do was shrug. "I overslept."

Moon chuckled. The morning ceremony was a private affair, it was not that big a deal. "I'm sure Marco won't mind."

* * *

Taking a deep breath and standing up, Star placed her wand on Marco's shoulder, alternating it between the left and the right as he kneeled before her. "I hereby declare that you, Marco Ubaldo Diaz, shall henceforth be my royal knight. That you will always speak the truth and be devoted to your princess and kingdom. That you will be brave and never avoid the path of danger out of fear. That you will fight with honor, be charitable, and defend the poor and helpless. That above all, you will only use your strength to fight the forces of evil and do good. Do you accept?"

"I do."

"Then rise." Star smiled as Marco stood to his full height. "I hereby dub you Sir Marco Ubaldo Diaz, knight of the Royal Guard of Mewni and knight to her majesty, Princess Star." She immediately enveloped him into a hug as her mother and Tom clapped.

Marco swept the girl up, returning the hug before balancing her on his right shoulder.

"Your first task as my knight is to help get this party started!" Star playfully ordered from atop his shoulders. "But in all seriousness, I really need your help with this party. I'm running late and I'm not going to have time to decorate."

"Don't worry, Tom and I will take care of it. We'll have this place set up in no time, knight's honor."

"Come along, Star." Moon approached the two, reaching up to help get the girl down. "Let's get you ready."

* * *

"Now, Star, if you get tired, you can leave at any time, okay?" Moon gently ran the brush through the girl's cascading blonde hair as she spoke, trying her best not to pull too harshly against the stubborn tangles. "Don't feel like you have to stay. You can ask Eclipsa to take you home anytime you want."

Moon was absolutely terrified about how the events that night would play out. This party would mark Star's first public appearance as princess since her disappearance fourteen years ago. Leaders and royalty from the Mewman kingdoms and Monster villages would all be coming together in the same enclosed space and tensions could easily boil over. Though things had smoothed over slightly in the past month since Star had put an end to the fighting, relations between the kingdoms were still quite rocky.

Star had been asking to return to her home in the castle since that day, but for own safety, Moon had refused, insisting Eclipsa continue to keep her with her in the forest until everything was sorted out. While she had always intended to announce Star's return to the kingdom, it had been the girl's idea to throw the party and invite everyone for the occasion.

Between both Monsters and Mewmans attending the party and so many people excited to see Star once more, Moon was worried she would be overwhelmed with everyone trying to get her attention.

"I'll be fine, Mom," Star assured her, holding still as her mother twisted her hair up into a bun. "It's going to take a lot more than some party to wear me out!"

"A lot of people will want to speak with you tonight. If anyone makes you feel...uncomfortable, just come get one of us. You don't have to spend time with anyone you don't want to." Though she had not mentioned any names, Moon was mostly referring to Rich Pigeon, who Star had insisted on inviting. She had strongly disagreed with her on that, but ultimately, it was her daughter's party and her choice as to who would be coming.

Having faced Star on the battlefield, it was unlikely Richard would try anything, but even the minuscule chance he would had her on edge. There was no doubt he harbored some resentment against Star, having been forced to return not only the throne of Mewni, but the thrones of the other kingdoms he had conquered as well.

Still, Moon felt better knowing there would be so many people in the area who could keep an eye on her daughter and make sure no one tried anything while she had her guard down.

"All right, all done," Moon announced as she tucked the last pin into Star's hair. "Ready?"

"Ready!" Star eagerly responded, all but jumping out of her seat to race to the ballroom.

* * *

Standing between Tom and Marco, Star nervously fidgeted with herself as Manfred announced the arrival of the first guests. Running her hand through her bangs, she noticed something was amiss. "My crown! I forgot my crown! Marco, greet the guests in my place, I'll be right back!"

Carrying the skirt of her dress as she ran, Star quickly reached her room, kicking the door open. She froze in place when she saw she was not alone.

Standing in her room was Marco. Teenage Marco.

"Marco!" she gasped. "What happened?"

"I...got lost," the boy responded.

"Tom! Tom!" Star called for the demon, panic evident in her voice. How did Marco get turned back into a teen? She had left him not even a minute ago in the castle foyer.

Tom suddenly burst into the room, having rushed over at the sound of Star's distressed voice. "What's going on?"

Star could only silently point to the teenage Marco, unable to explain what had happened.

Tom's worried look turned into a smile as he knelt down with his arms open. "Junior, my man! Come here!"

Star watched in confusion as the young Marco ran into Tom's arms, allowing himself to be given a hug and a playful noogie.

"Long time no see, squirt. How was the trip?" Tom asked the boy.

"It was great. Except grandma kept trying to make me eat even when I wasn't hungry."

"Tom!" Star interrupted the two, exasperated the demon was not taking the situation seriously. "What happened to Marco?! Wasn't he just with you?! Who did this to him?! How are we going to fix this?!"

"Oh!" It was only then Tom realized why Star had been calling him over. "This isn't Marco. Well, actually, he is Marco, just not the Marco you're thinking of."

Star stared at Tom in silence, not following him in the slightest. Before she could ask for clarification, the Marco she knew walked into the room.

"Everything okay in here?" Marco asked, concerned over how long it was taking for Star to get back. The man's face lit up when he caught sight of his younger brother. "Hey, little bro, what are you doing here?"

"I got lost," the boy explained once more, taking his older brother's dimensional scissors out of his back pocket and holding them out to him. "These are kind of hard to use."

Chuckling, Tom took Star by the shoulders and walked her over so she was standing directly in front of the young boy. "Star, this is Marco Junior. He's Marco's little brother."

"You have a brother?!" Star squealed, her confusion and worry quickly shifting to delight. "He looks just like you! I thought he was you!"

"Yeah, we get that a lot." Marco ruffled his younger brother's hair.

"Junior, this is Star," Tom finished the introduction.

"Hi-" the younger Diaz was cut off when the girl suddenly enveloped him into a hug.

"Oh my gosh!" Star was absolutely thrilled, pulling away from the hug only to grab the boy once more and give him another. She had so much she wanted to show him, tell him, and ask him. Unable to vocalize her excitement into any coherent words, she simply grabbed Junior's arm and took off with him in tow. "Come on!"

"Star, your crown!" Tom called after her.

* * *

Star linked her arm with Eclipsa's as the two of them walked through the rose garden. The party was in full-swing as the castle bustled with all forms of life.

"I never thought I'd see this," Eclipsa said happily. "Monsters and Mewmans in the castle at the same time. And not exchanging blows! I'm so proud of you, Star."

Star smiled, sharing in her adoptive mother's joy. Her smile soon faded when she saw a group of Mewman attendees scoff and turn their noses to a passing trio of Monsters.

"Well, I suppose it is still going to take some work," Eclipsa remarked, having also witnessed the incident, "but this is a good first step in the right direction. You won't be able to solve years of divide overnight, but don't lose hope. Not when I finally have it again. Just take it one day at a time."

The two took a seat on a stone bench, silently taking in the sight. The roses were in full bloom, looking absolutely gorgeous as fireflies gently drifted through the area.

"Umm...Queen Eclipsa?"

"Princess Spiderbite, you came!" Star jumped out of her seat, rushing over to give the woman a hug. Fourteen years may have passed, but she could still recognize her old friend. "Your dress is so pretty!"

Spiderbite returned the gesture with one arm, using the other to hold a bundle close to her chest. "Thank you. It's nice to see you, Star."

"Come, Princess, join us." Eclipsa patted the empty seat beside her. She had no idea who Spiderbite was, but the girl clearly wanted to speak with her. "And just call me, Eclipsa. My days as Queen are long past."

"You can call me Penelope. My days as princess and as a Spiderbite are also in the past."

Star frowned. Her mother had already told her Penelope had been disowned for running off with Slime, but it still bothered her to hear it said aloud. How could Queen Spiderbite do that? Was Penelope not her precious baby girl? How could a mother simply cast her child away like that? It broke her heart to even _think_ about Eclipsa or Moon abandoning her like that. Who knew what kind of pain Penelope was actually going through.

"I wanted you to meet someone." Penelope carefully handed the bundle over to Eclipsa. "This is my son, Julian."

Peeking over into Eclipsa's lap, Star's face lit up at the sight of the adorable infant. The boy had a head of almost glowing aqua hair, a perfect complement to his equally brilliant aqua eyes.

"Oh, how precious," Eclipsa cooed at the child. "Hello there, Julian."

The infant boy clapped his hands as he laughed, intrigued by the strange new woman holding him. Slime flew from his hands, splattering the three women as he gurgled in delight.

"He's...half-monster," Penelope explained as she drew a handkerchief from her sleeve, using it to wipe the slime off the front of Eclipsa's dress. "Not many people have experience with this and I wanted to ask you: Does...does the pain ever go away? My mom...she won't see me or my baby. They banished me from the kingdom when I told them I was marrying a Monster and haven't spoken to me since. I know I shouldn't want them in my life, but I can't help it. They're my family...you know?"

Eclipsa gave the girl a soft smile, understanding exactly what she was going through. "It's okay to be sad." She gently placed her arm around Penelope's shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "I know it hurts, but don't blame yourself for this. You're not the problem. You did nothing wrong. You have no reason to be sorry. If your parents won't speak with you, that's their loss. Don't spend too much time dwelling on what you could have done or said differently. As much as it pains me to say it, your parents are so stuck in their old ways, there's nothing you can do to change their mind. If they come around, it will have to be on their own, but if they don't, that's okay too. You're not alone. You still have your friends and your family."

"And me!" Star chimed in.

"Besides, it's your parents' loss, really." Eclipsa tickled Julian underneath his chin. "They're the ones missing out on this cute little guy."

Penelope could not help but beam at the two Butterflys. "You're right. Sorry to have bothered you like this."

"It's no problem at all. As long as you bring this little one around, you can come see me anytime!" Playfully tapping the top of Julian's nose, Eclipsa returned the infant to his mother's arms.

"Thank you." Penelope stood up, giving Eclipsa a bow before returning to the party.

Looking to Star who had been silent for most of the interaction, Eclipsa could see the girl was still troubled. "One day at a time, love. One day at a time."

* * *

"You missed me."

"Go away."

"Just admit it, you missed me. You _did_ come to my party."

"I came here because I was forced to! The moment it's over, I'm gone!"

"Aww, don't be like that. Come on, have some fun! Dance with me!" Star grabbed Ludo's arms, ignoring his protests as she dragged him onto the dance floor. She paid no mind to his attempts to claw free from her grasp as she swung him around.

From the other side of the floor, Moon and Dennis chuckled at the sight. Star had been dragging people onto the floor all night. The girl was going to wear herself out in no time at this rate, but at least she was having fun.

"Sorry we're late, Queen Moon," Dennis apologized. "It took some time to get Ludo out here. He _really_ did not want to come."

"Oh, it's alright. Star's been so preoccupied, she hardly noticed." Looking back to her daughter, Moon watched as Ludo escaped her clutches, leaving her looking for another dance partner. On the other side of the floor, she could see Tom and Marco gently pushing Marco Junior towards Star, both encouraging the boy to ask her to dance. She was unable to hear what the shy teen was saying, but Star seemed to get the message, dragging Junior onto the floor before he could even finish.

"May I have this dance?" Dennis broke Moon from her thoughts, holding his hand out to her.

The Queen could not help but laugh. How a boy as sweet as Dennis could be related to someone as unpleasant as Ludo, she would never know. "Of course."

* * *

"Star, where are you?"

"Up here!"

Following the sound of the girl's voice, Meteora looked up to find Star sitting high atop one of the castle towers with Eclipsa by her side. "Come down here and get something to eat! You've been running around all night!"

"Oh, don't worry about her!" Eclipsa called down loudly with a mouth full of cake. "She's fine!"

"Mother, you're not up there stuffing her with sweets, are you?"

"I assert my authority as your mother and refuse to answer that question!"

Meteora could only cross her arms at the massive fit of giggles coming from the two women above. "Star?" she asked next, though she already knew the answer to her question.

"I assert my authority as her mother and order her not to answer that question!"

"Do I have to come up there and get her myself, Mother?! She needs to eat something that isn't pure sugar!"

Getting her laughter under control, Star handed her wand to Eclipsa.

Grasping the wand, Eclipsa allowed her magic to flow through it, transforming it from Star's small scepter into her parasol. Wrapping her arm firmly around the girl's waist, she leapt from the roof and opened the parasol, allowing the two of them to gently drift to the ground.

Still giggling, Star took the wand from Eclipsa and trailed behind Meteora back into the castle for dinner.

* * *

As the party was finally dying down, Star walked through the garden once more, stopping to say goodbye to her guests and pick up any fallen trash. Feeling a tap on her shoulder, she turned around.

"Rich Pigeon!" While she had given the bird an invitation, Star was still surprised to see him. She had mostly invited him as a sign of goodwill, not actually expecting him to come, especially not after he had previously kidnapped her. "Uh...how are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you."

An awkward silence hung in the air between the two of them as they each looked around, unwilling to meet the other's gaze.

"Listen," Rich Pigeon finally found the courage to speak, "I'm sorry about all that kidnapping...unpleasantness. And for overthrowing your mother. And almost getting thousands of people killed in battle."

"Uh...I...forgive you…I guess?" Star was not entirely sure how to respond to an apology like that, but she knew she could not hold a grudge against Rich forever. She was definitely still upset by what he had done, but she knew she was going to have to put her feelings to the side if their kingdoms were going to work together again.

"Though inexcusable, I hope my actions do not leave a sour taste in your mouth regarding the Pigeons. My people truly are a kind and noble flock. Please do not allow my misdeeds to taint your image of them."

"Okay, but you gotta promise me, no more overthrowing kingdoms. The Waterfolks aren't too happy with you right now either."

"Well," Rich Pigeon chuckled, "I can't say I blame them for that. I will do my best to mend the ties between our kingdoms, you have my word."

* * *

"Oh, how I wish Festivia could be here to see this," Eclipsa said with a sigh, staring at her late daughter's tapestry. "She and Star would have gotten along so well."

Moon silently placed a comforting arm around the woman, unsure of what she could say to ease her pain. She had no idea what Eclipsa must have gone through. It was devastating enough to lose Star for those fourteen years, but Eclipsa had to live with the pain of losing Festivia every day of her life. She may have had her other children back, but the green-haired woman also lost the opportunity to raise them and experience the joy of watching them grow up.

It amazed Moon that after everything the woman suffered through, she had never sought revenge. She did not blame the kingdom for what happened to her or Globgor and only came after the Magical High Commission when they posed a threat to Star and not a moment before.

Moon held a deep respect for Eclipsa, knowing the other woman was stronger than she would ever be. "Eclipsa, thank you so much for all you've done these past years. Thank you for giving Star a warm and loving home when I couldn't. I'm so glad to finally be able to hear her laughter in the castle halls again and it's all thanks to you."

Eclipsa smiled slyly. "Well then, when are you going to bring her home?"

"What?"

"To the castle, Moon. Her home. When are you going to have Star start staying in the castle with you? Where she belongs."

Moon always dreaded this conversation. Eclipsa had brought up the idea of having Star return to Castle Butterfly several times this past month, but she was just not ready. "Oh, I don't know. Between trying to get everything sorted out and re-establishing ties with the other kingdom, it's just been such a mess. She's better off with you for now."

Eclipsa was not fooled by Moon's answer. "You're still afraid something's going to happen to her."

"It's just...I don't know what I would have done with myself had I lost Star that night all those years ago. I'm so glad to have her back, and I so desperately want her here with me again, but...I can't go through that again. If she comes back here, she can be easily found. If she goes back to the forest with you, no one will know where she is. It hurts to be apart from her, but at least I can rest easy knowing she's safe. Besides, she's happy with you, Meteora, and Toffee; I wouldn't want to take her away from that."

"She's not going to lose us just because she'll be living with you. Besides, Star _wants_ to come back to the castle. She _wants_ to be Princess of Mewni again."

"And it will happen in due time. There's no need to rush it now." Noticing guests bidding farewell to one another from the window, Moon gestured outside. "We've been here far too long, we should probably head back down. The guests will wonder where we've disappeared to."

"It is getting rather late," Eclipsa conceded though she wanted to continue pressing Moon. "I suppose I should be heading home as well."

The two women exited the room and made their way down the castle halls and back to the ballroom.

"Marco, dear, have you seen Star?" Moon asked Marco Junior upon entering the ballroom.

"Yeah, she was outside talking to that bird with the robot legs." Junior was not sure if he had said something wrong, but he watched in confusion as the two Butterfly woman frowned and suddenly hurried outside.

"Ah, Star, there you are!" Eclipsa placed her hand on Star's shoulder, drawing her close and away from Rich Pigeon with a forced smile on her face.

"Oh, Richard, don't let Star hold you up. It's late, you must be exhausted," Moon remarked with equal false excitement.

"Mom…?" Star looked to the both of them, confused about the way they were acting. She and Rich Pigeon were only talking, there was no need for them to get so worked up.

"Oh my, would you look at the time." Rich Pigeon heard the Queens' silent messages loud and clear: they wanted him gone. "Thank you for the party, your majesties. I look forward to many years of good relations between our kingdoms. Goodnight." He gave a bow to the three Butterflys before leaving the garden.

"You guys really didn't have to do that." Star crossed her arms at the two women. "He was trying to apologize, you know."

"You can always talk later, it really is getting late. Eclipsa can't stay here waiting for you all night." Moon tried to reason with her. "Are you ready to go?"

"Actually...can I stay with you tonight?" Star asked. She had been hoping to stay in the castle for some time now, but her mother always seemed to find one reason or another to send her back to the forest.

Casting a glance towards Moon, Eclipsa could see her about to object. "Of course, dear!" she interjected, answering before the Queen could refuse.

"Are you sure?" Moon asked hesitantly. "Wouldn't you rather stay with Thomas and Marco tonight? Junior will be spending the night with them as well; it will be like one big sleepover. I'll just be cleaning up here, it'll be really boring."

"I'll see them tomorrow when I visit Angie and Rafael. I want to stay with you tonight."

"Then it's settled," Eclipsa cut in once more. "Why don't you go say goodnight to Meteora and Toffee before they leave?" She gave Star a goodnight kiss and watched her run off.

Waiting until the girl was out of earshot, she turned to Moon. "Moon! We literally just went over this!"

"I know, I know! I still can't help but worry."

"You're going to have to let her come back eventually. She can't rule Mewni from the forest."

"Won't you miss her?" Moon made one last ditch attempt to convince Eclipsa to keep the girl.

"Don't worry about me, I'm a big girl. I know my baby will have to leave the nest eventually. Besides, she and I can see each other whenever we want." Now that she had received an official pardon from Moon and was no longer a wanted fugitive, Eclipsa was free to travel anywhere she wanted within Mewni. She had briefly considered moving into town, but decided against it, realizing she enjoyed the privacy the forest gave her. "Stop worrying, it will be fine."

"You're right, you're right," Moon relented.

"All set?" Eclipsa asked Star the moment she came running back.

"Yup!" Star beamed, happily.

"Then have a goodnight, love." Eclipsa drew her dimensional scissors and headed into the castle in search of her other children.

"Come on, dear," Moon gently took Star's shoulder and guided her back inside as well. "Let's get you cleaned up."

* * *

Silently pushing against the door, Moon peered through the opening into her daughter's bedroom. She knew the girl was fine and would be right where she had been last time she saw her, but she could not help herself. With all the horrible possibilities and 'what ifs' running through her mind, she felt compelled to keep checking on her, just to make sure everything was still okay.

"Are you going to sleep at all tonight?"

Moon nearly leapt out of her skin as she yelped in surprise. "Glossaryck!"

"Seriously Moon, how many times are you going to check on her in one night? Do I have to tell Eclipsa?"

Moon could not help but crack a smile at his quip, even if she had spent the past several hours stressing out over her daughter's presence in the castle. "Is she ready for all this?"

"Who is ever ready? You certainly weren't. Neither was your mother. Neither was Eclipsa. She may not be ready now, but she will be when the time comes. She has you, Eclipsa, Skywynne; basically everyone whose eyes are some subtle variation of blue."

"Eclipsa's eyes aren't blue," Moon chuckled.

"Potato, po-tah-to. I'm not _really_ supposed to say this, but I can assure you: Star's going to be a great Queen someday. The universe has been waiting a long time for someone like her and I've got an old friend in a high place watching out for her. I promise you, Star's here to stay."

A heavy weight seemed to lift off Moon's chest at her old mentor's words. It took fourteen long years, but her baby girl was finally home and here to stay. Tears of joy well in her eyes as she peered into her daughter's bedroom once more. "Welcome home, Star."

She gently closed the door behind her and made her way back to her bedroom, completely at ease for the first time in fourteen years.

THE END

* * *

 **And so here we are. I thought a light, fun chapter would be a great way to wrap everything up.**

 **I had a lot of fun writing this story and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. Thank you to everyone who reviewed! I appreciate all the feedback! Special thanks to Sugar for all her support throughout the whole story. I love you.**

 **I currently have two stories lined up to come out after this one. I have a short Marco-focused three-chapter story coming out next week followed by a one-shot story. Those of you who liked this will likely enjoy the one-shot as it does explore the idea of Eclipsa acting as a mother to Star but from a slightly Evil!Eclipsa perspective. I hope to see you guys there!**

 **And so, I ask one last time: Review, please!**


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